Loss of Public Trust & Integrity:
The criminal investigation of the Property Appraiser’s office, the arrest of Lance Larsen, former Chief Deputy Property Appraiser, and Jim Ford’s marrying of one employee while terminating more experienced employees amplifies the complete loss of public trust, leadership and integrity in the office.
My Plan: Public Trust & Integrity. The public trust of the office will be restored, and I pledge to represent the taxpayers of Brevard County with the utmost integrity. This will be accomplished by respecting staff and being accountable for the actions of the office. I will expect the office to adhere to the same laws and formal polices that are required of all County Appraiser offices.
Poor Budget Management, No Transparency, No Cooperation:
Inappropriate budget transfers
Exorbitant administrative salaries
Public vehicles for personal use
Taxpayer funded criminal defense attorneys
Zero cooperation with other county agencies
The current economic conditions require that government work more efficiently and accomplish “more with less.” The current and prior budgets of the Property Appraiser’s office have been filled with funded items that are never brought to fruition and monies are being transferred to other categories, such as legal expenses. Currently, the Property Appraiser’s office is a top-heavy organization with exorbitant administrative salaries and public funded vehicles are being used by staff to drive to and from work. Cooperating with other county agencies is non existent with the current property appraiser.
My Plan: Quality Budget Management, Transparency, Cooperation. Under my leadership, the budget will published annually on my web site and will contain financial controls to prevent mismanagement. In the context of accountability to citizens, my budget will be a plan to support only the mandates, statutory obligations, and goals and objectives designed to increase organizational efficiency. Additionally, all positions and job duties will be reviewed to ensure that salaries are commensurate with like positions in similar jurisdictions. Other than personnel using public vehicles for property valuation field work, all employees will drive their own vehicles to and from work at their own expense. All pertinent information for other county agencies will be readily available and I will be in attendance for other agency meetings so as to foster efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
I will not spend one dime of tax dollars on criminal defense attorneys for myself or any members of my staff.
Unfair & Inequitable Property Valuation:
Inequitable valuation standards
Lack of physical property inspections
Lack of public access to land valuations
The current property tax system depends on the correct valuation of each and every property in Brevard County to ensure that property taxes are apportioned fair and equitably. Currently, the Property Appraiser is not adhering to the use of physical inspections to ensure that all property improvements and conditions are recorded and accurately valued. Instead “drive-by” inspections and the use of aerial photography are being used as an illegal substitution for physical inspections. Also, the Property Appraiser refuses to display the values of both the land and the improvements for each property on the tax roll.
My Plan: Fair & Equitable Property Valuations. All property will be valued using only acceptable approaches to value and the laws, rules and regulations, and valuation standards will be applied fairly and equitably for all properties in Brevard County. I will ensure that all properties are physically inspected within the five-year statutory requirement so assessments can be based on accurate records. In order to maintain transparency of all established market values, I will display both the value attributed to the land and the value attributed to the improvements on my web site so assessments can be accurately compared for correctness and fairness. The properties that receive tax preferences and reduced valuations permitted by law will be disclosed and made readily available for public inspection.
