Same pledges, different approaches in race for Maricopa County assessor
Oct 23, 2020, 4:45 AM
(Campaign Photos)
PHOENIX — The last man elected as Maricopa County Assessor, Paul Petersen, quit and pleaded guilty to criminal charges in Arizona, Utah and Arkansas related to his private adoption practice.
The appointed Republican incumbent, Eddie Cook, did not blame Petersen or his administration for the current state of affairs in the office.
His Democratic challenger in the Nov. 3 election, Aaron Connor, says Petersen’s absence led to neglect for the office, its staff, and ultimately taxpayers.
Unlike Petersen and Cook, Connor will quit his day job as an encompass administrator if he’s elected.
“I’m going to be out in the public. You’re going to know my name,” Connor said. “I want taxpayers to hold me accountable because government is there to serve the people, not to serve themselves.”
Cook says he’s learning from community members and local governments about their issues with his office.
The assessor’s office determines property values, not the taxes put on them. But Connor wants to change laws to create what he considers fairer values.
“During a time of pandemic, we have to do everything we can to keep people in their homes,” he said.
He says some values rose 30% in one year for property owners living paycheck to paycheck.
“A lot of those people have to find housing elsewhere,” Connor said. “A lot of people had to sell their homes and go into a rental capacity. That’s not a great thing, either. Rents are going up like crazy.”
Prop. 117, approved by Arizona voters in 2012, changed property valuations from full cash value to limited property value, which came with a calculation based on statute.
Cook says voters must change the law if they find it unfair or that it sets excessive tax burdens.
Just as he did on Gilbert’s town council, just like county supervisors, Cook maintains a full-time private job.
“There’s got to be flexibility,” Cook said. “If you don’t allow that to happen, then you won’t get very good, quality leaders in government.”
Cook is a technical account manager with NetApp based in Sunnyvale, California.
In his eight months as assessor, Cook says he’s been cutting fees, filling job vacancies and training leaders from within.
“The team hasn’t really had any professional development as it relates to what we call a normal, best practice business organization,” Cook said.
Cook wants to build a public data portal. Connor promises an app to file assessment appeals and get data to close home sales faster.
Cook is replacing the valuation computer system that is a year behind schedule. The process began during Petersen’s tenure. Costs rose to $20 million.
“The systems they’ve been using to calculate all of that is sitting on technology that’s dated back in 1992,” Cook learned. “The original vendor no longer supports it.”
Both candidates claim they have the real estate and technical savvy that the county assessor needs.