Q&A's

1 

What, in your view, are the most important responsibilities of the county assessor?

I believe that the most important responsibilities of the county assessor are to ensure accurate and timely assessments to the taxpayers. I believe it is also important to be a fiscally responsible department in addition to providing public access to assessment information as the law allows.

2

What should be the priorities of the office moving forward?

I believe that the biggest priorities of the Assessor's Office should be training staff, hiring new staff, and continuing to help our fire survivors rebuild. 

3

Is there any specific message you want to send to voters prior to the election?

Experience and knowledge are vital to our taxpayers. I have both and I want to help our county move forward. Working with the county Disaster Recovery Team has given me so much respect for what each department has done and continues to do daily. I want to be a part of this amazing group of men and women - to learn from them and help rebuild our county better than it’s ever been. I am a taxpayer also - I understand fairness but I also understand tax laws that govern us through our daily jobs.

4

What are the most important issues or challenges that will face the Assessor’s office this year and in the foreseeable future?

As with so many counties across our state, fires impact our communities and put a huge strain on staff. Budgets continue to change, and the implementation of the new Prop 19 laws has been difficult to navigate. The rise in market values over the last year and a half and the possible market correction that could follow will all take their toll on our staff.

5

How would you address those challenges or issues if you are elected in 2022?

Our staff needs consistent training to stay current with new laws such as Prop 19 and tracking the valuation changes. The appraisal staff needs to stay on top of market trends in their areas and do their best to capture the information prior to our annual turning of the tax roll from one year to the other.

6​

How would you describe the ideal relationship between the Board of Supervisors and the Assessor? How does that differ from the current relationship?

I would like to have a good strong line of communication between the Board members and myself. I would love to see them occasionally drop in our office to observe us possibly learn from us. I would encourage questions and do my best to answer them as honestly and openly as possible with the most current information possible.

6​

Did the recent wildfires in Plumas County, including the Dixie Fire, make the job of Assessor more difficult? If so, why and in what ways, and how would you deal with similar situations in the future based upon that experience?

​It has changed the landscape of thinking in our office. It has engulfed our office from the person who answers the initial phone call to myself as Chief Appraiser. We were fairly swift in our response thanks to our tax system software called Megabyte. I don’t know how much more we could have prepared. We have all put in countless hours on the phone, in person and will continue as rebuilding occurs in all of the different areas of the county. I have taken on a big responsibility as plans and Intel Chief which takes me away from my job for approximately 5 hours a week not including side conversations and emails.