Today’s newsletter is Part 3 of the Lake County Property Appraiser’s Online Forum between incumbent Ed Havill and challengers Carey Baker and Walter Price.  Pam Lee decided at the last minute not to participate.

Online Forum Questions and Answers Part 3

Q: What is your opinion of the Property Appraiser’s government website and its usefulness?

Carey Baker

If used correctly, the Property Appraiser website can be a very effective tool, for both the Property Appraiser and the taxpayer. The website’s valuable (and necessary) function is two-fold. First, it should allow as much reporting to occur through the website as possible. Second, is should provide all necessary information to the public. By doing this, the number of phone calls and office visits will be greatly reduced thus reducing costs to the taxpayers. The current website fails at this. For example, if you are a returning military veteran from a combat zone you would never know that you are entitled to a property tax discount because it is not mentioned anywhere on the Lake County Property Appraiser’s website.

Ed Havill

Some Property Appraisers use their website for self-promotion, with their pictures, biographies, etc.  Your Lake County Property Appraiser website isn’t fancy but it is a functional, easy to use site solely devoted to providing information. Again, we get complements by users of our website that it is a timesaver, full of useful information and we are constantly working to improve the information on it.  (for further info, see answer above)

Walter Price

The current website for the property appraiser needs to be updated and expanded to include more usable information for consumers. One only needs to look at the websites of other property appraisers in the state to see the differences in technology and usefulness. More sales tools are needed, not only to aid professionals like myself, but citizens wanting to quickly figure out what property types like what they own are selling for. There are also current technologies available that can improve the efficiency and productivity in-house as well.

Q: How would you describe the current procedures in place by the Property Appraiser’s Office for filing homestead exemptions?

Carey Baker

Inadequate. Property Owners should be able to file for homestead exemptions as well as submit all documentation online. Currently, property owners can only print out the application online, which they then need to either mail it in or drop it off. This is an inefficient and wasteful way of doing business. Orange County has over 50% of homestead exemptions filed on-line and the Appraiser, Bill Donegon, has told me he was able to reduce his front desk staff because of the drop in walk-in traffic.

Ed Havill

Our busy time in the office with regard to homestead is January and February (5 pm on March 1^st is the homestead deadline).  We bring on temporary help (i.e. hourly wage with no benefits to save you $) during that period to answer the phones (they come back to help us year after year, so they know the answers to most of the questions), we have a numbering system, and many, many chairs for filers to sit in while they fill out their applications on clipboards which we provide for them in lieu of having to stand at tables and stand in lines waiting for their number to be called.  We have all of our forms on the website, so they can complete them at home before coming to our office to save time.

Walter Price

The current system of receiving a post card and not having to mail it back in unless there is a change is a vast improvement over the old system of having to physically go into the office to file for annual homestead exemption. The ease of not having to come to the office or even mail in the post card does tend to promote fraud by claiming homesteads that no longer exist. I do commend the current property appraiser’s office for cracking down on this type of fraud returning needed tax revenue to the county.

Q: Have you reviewed the Lake County Property Appraiser’s budget for 2012?

Carey Baker

I was able to view Lake County Property Appraiser’s budget for 2012. However, it was inadequate in details to see how the Property Appraiser actually spends the taxpayers’ money.

Ed Havill

Of course; our budget has been reduced by 6.5% relative to the prior year.  We’ve substantially lowered overtime and replaced it with unpaid comp time.  Yearly, we use temporary homestead help on an hourly basis (January/February) to avoid the additional cost of benefits, etc.  Travel has been reduced to what’s necessary for the field appraisers to attend school in order to become certified.  Postage increased by $2,000 due to the increase in postage rates.  As office equipment ages, we’ve had to increase maintenance by $700 rather than replace with new.  However, EDP equipment maintenance is $4,000 less this year.  Office supplies have been reduced to a minimum (saving $3,000) and our field appraisers’ education budget is $2,005 lower.  Overall our Total Operating Expenses is $5,955 less than last year.  Only one county in Florida has a lower cost per parcel than Lake’s.

Walter Price

I have reviewed a summary of the 2012 budget for the property appraiser’s office. I examined the total income and expense items in various categories but do not have the breakdowns showing what makes up those items. As president of the East Florida Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, I had to develop and operate under budgets.

Q: If you have reviewed Lake County Property Appraiser’s budget for 2012, what are your thoughts, recommendations and opinions?

Carey Baker

The first and foremost, as Property Appraiser, I will put the entire budget online for all to see. Good government comes from good transparency. This office must use technology better: by increasing online reporting as well as the usage of high definition photography will reduce time consuming on-site inspections. These changes will slash the waste and bureaucracy in the Property Appraiser’s office.

Ed Havill

My overall budget for the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year is 6.5% less than it was last year, and last year’s budget was lower than the year before.  No one (including me) goes to conferences (i.e., play time for other county’s appraisers and employees).  The only thing our appraisers go to is Department of Revenue required schools to get them certified).  I am also required to attend a 3 day school yearly (I drive back and forth in my car).  My personal travel expenses are about $200 per year – I pay for my own meals.  The recent economy has been terrible for our taxpayers, and for over 35 years I’ve treated taxpayer funds more frugally than my own.

Walter Price

For 2012, the budget amount is $2,235,223, which represents a decrease of 6.5% from the 2011 budget. In this economy, it is good for a public office to be able to operate on a lower budget; however, there are no budget items for needed, new technology. The largest percentage of the budget (88%) is for personnel. To be effective, the property appraiser’s office needs a minimum amount of employees for executive, clerical and field appraiser operations. However, it is always worth taking a look at all positions and making sure they are necessary to adequately perform the required responsibilities. Also, there is a budget item for the deferred retirement option program, meaning there are employees who have already retired and are receiving benefits, but are still collecting a paycheck from the citizens.

Q: How would you rate the Property Appraiser’s Office efficiency in distributing the Truth in Millage (Trim) notices?  Should anything be changed?

Carey Baker

I believe they are achieving the state mandated deadlines. However, I am open to anything which would allow better efficiency or cut waste in the Property Appraiser’s office.

Ed Havill

We have always mailed the TRIM notices to property owners in August, 2 or 3 days before the date Florida Statutes require them to be mailed. Any undeliverable mail which is returned is quickly re-addressed using various methods beyond the address on the Assessment Rolls and then re-mailed.

Walter Price

One of the major expense items for the property appraiser is postage and this is in large part due to the mailing of the TRIM notices each year. Since you can view your TRIM notice online with your property card, it should be an option to have it mailed to you. Perhaps an election can be made by a check box on the annual homestead postcard to receive the TRIM notice by mail.

Q: Why should you be elected or re-elected as Lake County’s Property Appraiser?

Carey Baker

The Property Appraiser, just like any other elected official, must be a servant of the people they represent. Politicians who lose sight of this all-important responsibility undermine our system of representation. I am committed to creating an office which takes its duties to service seriously. I have the experience and knowledge to make the necessary changes to ensure the citizens of Lake County receive the highest quality and most respectful service.  As your Lake County Property Appraiser, I will be a Warrior for Taxpayers!

Ed Havill

In addition to all of the above, I have been professionally educated, with three college degrees and an extensive appraisal background, which includes experience, appraisal schools and designations.  My main opponent only has a high school diploma, zero degrees, zero appraisal experience and zero knowledge of the complexities of completing, accurately and fairly, the assessment of the hundreds of thousands of parcels in Lake County.  I’ve been doing it successfully every year since 1976 and hopefully, Lake County’s residents appreciate that I’ve also stood up for them when other public officials crossed the line.

Walter Price

I am a professional appraiser, not a professional politician. I would bring a fresh start for the office, without any prior adverse political concerns. I have lived in Lake County for the past 30 years, going through the good times and bad with my fellow citizens. Being an appraiser, I would bring a completely new perspective to the position that we have not had before, having the necessary experience; training and market understanding to make sure assessments are accurate and valuation concerns from property owners can be dealt with correctly.

This concludes the question-and-answer portion of the online forum for the position of Lake County Property Appraiser.  Next week, each candidate will be given an individual The Right Side of the Lake newsletter to make their closing arguments or rebut something another candidate may have said.  We hope you find this new debate format informative and it is our hope to feature other local races.

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Related posts:

1. Lake County Property Appraiser’s Online Forum Part 2
2. Lake County Property Appraiser’s Online Forum