Assessing Info -- MARCH 17 2022

Maine legislature moving to curb ‘dark store theory’ tax assessments

A bill advancing in the state legislature would limit the ability of big box stores in Maine to use the so-called “dark store theory” to challenge property tax evaluations, a maneuver that results in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in municipal tax revenue.

The bill to keep big retailers from claiming that their stores are worth much less than their assessments cleared the House 77-55 last week and is expected to go to the Senate this week. Read more

L.A.’s ‘The One’ mansion sells for $141 million to fashion company owner

Richard Saghian, owner of fast-fashion juggernaut Fashion Nova, spent $141 million to buy “The One” mega-mansion, and said his winning bid was less than half the property’s $295-million list price.

Although some have dismissed the residence as garish, others have seen it as the ultimate trophy home — with a list of amenities aimed at the party set.

There is a sky deck with cabanas, multiple pools, a private theater, a bowling alley, a billiard room, a candy room, a salon and spa, a nightclub, and a 40-car garage. It has 21 bedrooms and 42 full bathrooms. Read more

Harrison County, Iowa, assessor resigns, citing ‘constant beratement from outside influences’

An assessor’s office in Iowa that had three people in its office now has none. After eight years as the Harrison County, Iowa, Assessor, Brenda Loftus has stepped down.

“I feel concerned for the taxpayers of Harrison County,” Loftus said. “The stressors and constant beratement from outside influences have become too much from a personal wellness standpoint.” In her resignation letter, Loftus says elected officials in other offices were trying to micromanage the assessor’s office.

“This is an autonomous office. There should be no political affiliation or influences from outside parties to help with equity of assessments.” Read more

IAAO NEWS

IAAO, appraisal groups meet in Washington, D.C., to discuss valuation issues

IAAO Executive Director Debra McGuire, MBA, IOM, CAE, met with leaders of industry appraiser groups in Washington, D.C., in early March to discuss industry valuation issues and review plans on responding to legislative inquiries.

IAAO, the American Society of Appraisers, the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, The Appraisal Foundation, MBREA (the Association for Valuation Professionals™), and the National Society of Real Estate Appraisers met to discuss reports and congressional inquiries regarding issues of bias and discrimination in housing valuation.

The group focused on undervaluations by fee appraisers on minority-owned properties during the loan and sale process. It also reviewed the issue of potential overvaluations of low-income properties during the property tax assessment process.

Amy Rasmussen appointed IAAO Past President

Riverside County Chief Deputy Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Amy Rasmussen, RES, AAS, FIAAO, was appointed to serve on the IAAO Board of Directors, filling the unexpired board position of Immediate Past President Greg McHenry, AAS, who passed away in February.

The IAAO Board of Directors met on March 16 and voted to appoint Ms. Rasmussen to fill the remaining term, which runs until the end of 2022. She will also serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees for IAAO Professional Consulting Services.

Ms. Rasmussen previously served as IAAO Immediate Past President in 2021, President in 2020, President-Elect in 2019, Vice President in 2018, and was on the IAAO Board from 2014-2016. She is the Riverside County Chief Deputy Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder in Riverside, California. Before her current position, she was Chief Deputy Assessor for the Polk County, Iowa, Assessor's Office.

Some of her other IAAO service includes serving as chair of the Professional Development Committee, as a subject matter expert for the USPAP Committee, chair of the Finance Committee, member of the Planning and Rules Committee, and as a senior specialty Instructor and a professional advisor.

IAAO to host member town hall on April 5

IAAO will host an online town hall at 11 a.m. Central on Tuesday, April 5, to update members on recent association activities and plans for 2022 and beyond. Members can register for the town hall at http://www.iaao.org/townhallreg.

President Wade Patterson and Executive Director Debra McGuire, MBA, IOM, CAE, will discuss strategic planning efforts, give updates on committee and task force activities, and review the status of IAAO meetings, membership, and education. Questions for the two may be sent to townhall@iaao.org. The town hall will be webcast from IAAO Studios, sponsored by Tyler Technologies.

March is IAAO Membership Madness

The annual IAAO Membership Madness contest is underway. The first 64 members to refer a new member who joins IAAO in March will be entered into IAAO Membership Madness for the chance to receive a free IAAO Self-Study Course. Each IAAO Membership Madness bracket winner will be decided by a coin flip on Facebook Live at 10 a.m. Central on April 4.

To refer a member, have the new member include your name on the membership application form, available at www.iaao.org/memberapp.

GIS/ValTech conference is March 27-30

The 25th Annual GIS/Valuation Technologies Conference is just a few days away! The conference is March 27-30 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside hotel in New Orleans. Jack Dangermond, founder and president of Esri, an international supplier of GIS software, will be the opening keynote speaker.

Other keynotes include a presentation by John C. Finn, Ph.D., of Christopher Newport University, on "Geography of Segregation in the 21st Century," and a presentation by Water Wise Gulf South on ways to advance green infrastructure.

Optional workshops will lead deep dives into a number of important topics. Registration is available on the conference site. The full schedule is here.

Nominations accepted for IAAO awards, Fellows

IAAO is accepting nominations for its Awards and Fellows programs through May 1. The Awards Program boasts 17 categories recognizing individual and organizational achievements in several areas, including publications, technical expertise, and service to IAAO. Award winners and Fellow selections are recognized at the IAAO Annual Conference.

The Awards Program is a highly visible event and all IAAO members and affiliated organizations are encouraged to submit nominations. Submit your nominations here. Fellow nominees are brought forth by the IAAO membership each year.

NACo surveying impact of COVID on counties

As the anniversary of the American Rescue Plan Act's (ARPA) passage approaches, the National Association of Counties (NACo), in collaboration with the Pew Charitable Trusts, is conducting a brief (10-minute) questionnaire to better understand the impacts of COVID-19 and the ARPA on county finances, as well as counties' perception of future fiscal challenges.

NACo and Pew will use the information to analyze the state of county finances, develop appropriate technical assistance, and better understand county priorities. The responses collected will remain anonymous, with only county names being mentioned for specific examples. Responses will be aggregated for the majority of the analysis. Take the survey

Legal Task Force accepting papers for seminar

The IAAO Legal Task Force is accepting program topic proposals for the IAAO Annual Legal Seminar, Dec. 1-2 in Austin, Texas. The Legal Task Force is seeking qualified professionals to present on topics of interest to lawyers and assessors.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to, unique valuation problems, effective representation, courtroom technology, public policy, appeal processes, public relations, and ethics. Click here to submit a presentation topic. The deadline to submit topics is April 15.

2022 in-person IEW set for June in Kansas City

Applications are being accepted for anyone interested in becoming an IAAO instructor. The IAAO Professional Development Department, along with the IAAO Education Committee, is offering the Instructor Evaluation Workshop, including auditions, June 16-18 at the IAAO headquarters in Kansas City. The hotel is a short walk from headquarters.

Those who pass the audition will be considered a junior instructor and will be able to teach in the live classroom. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. Spots are limited, so apply now by clicking here. Registration ends April 8.

IAAO CONNECT CORNER

Hot topic: Airlines and COVID-19 relief funds

IAAO Connect members are talking about airlines receiving pandemic relief funding from municipalities across the country. Read more

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

It’s back to the drawing board for Ohio bill

to reform the property tax challenge process

It's not often you get unanimous agreement from all of the members of the Ohio House. But that's exactly what happened Wednesday when the House unanimously rejected changes the Senate made to a bill that reforms the process for challenging property tax values. Read more

Idaho lawmakers pitch major cut to property taxes ... with a catch

A new idea pitched at the Idaho statehouse is to eliminate property taxes to help Idahoans struggling to keep up. The House bill would remove all property tax other than voter-approved bonds and school levies from primary residences that receive the homestead exemption.

The tradeoff comes with a sales tax increase of 1.85%. That would increase the sales tax from 6% to 7.85%, with a portion of that going to local taxing authorities who collect property taxes. Read more

Tax the land? One radical idea to solve America ’s housing crisis

A six-word phrase keeps popping up on my Twitter feed: “Land value tax would solve this.” … in response to the inefficient use of land as parking lots. … as a policy to help fund a universal basic income. But the big question land value taxes help answer is: How can a government raise money without distorting choices and possibly leaving people worse off? Read more

Why wealthy Venezuelans are building mansions in a national park

For more than half a century, the steep mountains separating Venezuela’s capital from the Caribbean coast have been protected from any new construction, even as the population in Caracas swelled.

But recently, environmental standards have fallen by the wayside and the mountains have slowly turned into a playground for the country’s rich.

The lands of the national park are giving way to mansions that violate standards aimed at keeping the traditional character in the small towns nestled in the park. In a tiny farmers’ town, four mansions were built in 2019. By 2021, there were 16 — with many more under construction. Read more