Fligor: Ensuring the Assessor's Office keeps working for taxpayers and residents

"I am running to be your next Santa Clara County assessor to ensure the Assessor's Office continues to work for taxpayers and residents. I am the only candidate with the experience, legally required property tax certification, management acumen and leadership skills to be your next assessor. I am currently the assistant assessor and was previously a special assistant and an attorney for the office."

"Instead, the assessor's primary responsibility is to fairly and accurately assess the value of taxable property in the county - the Assessor does not have the discretion to raise or cut taxes nor exempt seniors from property taxes in violation of existing laws. The role involves appraising and assessing over 500,000 properties and producing an over-$700-billion assessment roll that generates roughly $8 billion in property tax revenue annually to fund vital services such as public safety, health care and schools."

The Assessor's Office appraises and assesses over 500,000 properties and produces an assessment roll exceeding $700 billion, generating roughly $8 billion annually for public safety, health care, and schools. The office manages over 11,000 active appeals and employs 251 professionals, most certified appraisers and auditors. Work is governed by state law and requires deep technical knowledge and legally required property tax certification. Effective leadership focuses on legal, fair, and accurate valuations, applying exemptions and proactively reducing assessed values when allowed, modernizing operations, and prioritizing taxpayer education, customer service, and multilingual community engagement.

Read at The Mercury News