Meaningful progress. Important work still ahead.

I have been honored to serve as your Ada County Assessor for nearly four years. I am seeking re-election for one final term to continue streamlining and improving the operations of the Assessor’s Office, to complete the replacement of the thirty-year-old software the office currently uses, and to complete the additional offices that provide convenient, improved customer service at our DMV locations.

We’ve made meaningful progress, but there is important work ahead. In my first term we focused on improving transparency, efficiency and customer service. Looking forward, the top priority is replacing the system that manages over 239,000 properties. It is outdated, difficult to update, and creates real risk since our entire tax system depends on it.

We gather as much data as possible on each transaction to inform our assessments. Because Idaho is a non-disclosure state and only about 60% of sales go through the MLS, this requires careful analysis.

We assess properties by neighborhood, recognizing that values vary significantly — for example, between Boise and Meridian. Commercial properties present additional complexity, but our team consistently produces well-supported valuations and can clearly justify each assessment.

The Assessor’s Office does not have the authority to set or control housing prices or inflation. Our role is to ensure assessments reflect current market conditions fairly and accurately.

That said, programs like the Homeowners Exemption help reduce the tax burden. I’m especially committed to ensuring seniors and those on Social Security are aware of available relief programs, and we’ve taken steps to proactively notify eligible residents about these opportunities.

We’ve made significant improvements in how we communicate with the public. Our website now provides detailed information on assessment methods, including historical data, and has been upgraded in collaboration with our IT team.

Equally important, we emphasize strong customer service — ensuring staff are prepared to clearly explain how properties are assessed. I will continue reinforcing this standard so citizens feel informed and supported.

We’ve already taken meaningful steps to improve transparency by expanding access to information and making assessment data more understandable. Our goal is to ensure citizens can clearly see how their property was assessed and why.

Moving forward, we will continue refining how we present this information and support staff in helping residents navigate and understand the process.

While the Assessor’s Office does not set tax rates, we have worked closely with the legislature to support property tax relief efforts, including enhancements to the Homeowners Exemption. I’ve taken a proactive approach to ensure proposed legislation avoids unintended consequences.

I’m proud that during my tenure, these efforts have contributed to meaningful tax relief for Ada County residents.

Prior experience in this office, and sixteen years of prior elected experience as an Ada County Highway District Commissioner setting and administering budgets to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently.

I also hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a master’s degree in business administration with a finance emphasis, and a doctorate in law — along with 38 years of commercial and residential real estate experience.

Continue to improve customer service and expand services to our citizens. Continue to assure that property value assessments are accurate, fair and consistent. Continue to update processes in the office and replace the nearly thirty-year-old software used to maintain the property records, assessed value records and tax records of the 239,000+ parcels of property in Ada County.

And continue to work with elected officials and the legislature to evaluate and pass legislation that lessens the property tax burden.

I moved to Ada County on June 2, 1987. I lived in four states at various times before moving to Idaho almost thirty-nine years ago.