Department of the week: Assessor's office keeps an eye on the land

Staff photo: Kurt Munz-Raper

Roosevelt County Residential Appraiser Tasha Grassel helps the Assessor’s Office get ready for the new year. Grassel said sales comparison is an important part for county assessor’s office to get the true market value of a sold property.

Editor’s note: This is one in a series profiling city, county and other departments in Roosevelt County each week.

By Kurt Munz-Raper

Staff Writer

[email protected]

Collaboration, education and getting fair property values are all aspects the Roosevelt County Assessor’s Office takes pride in while bringing in income for the county, according to its employees.

“Our main deal is to appraise the land,” said County Assessor George Beggs. “We view the entire county every six years. It’s pretty complex.”

“We appraise for tax purposes,” said Residential Appraiser Jerry DeSha. “That generates revenue for the county.”

Employees said it is important to give taxpayers an accurate value on their properties.

“We try to be fair with people’s values,” said Chief Deputy Assessor Stevin Floyd.

“I think the best way to value a property is through sales comparison,” said Residential Appraiser Tasha Grassel. “It’s important for the public to know that if they give us these sales, they get the true market value. The more information we get, the better.”

The efforts of the assessor’s office are a huge benefit to the county, DeSha said.

“We send our values to the treasurer for collecting taxes,” said DeSha. “(It goes to) our budget, school districts, the city; we do a lot.”

“The taxes generated out of here is what the county sets its budget on,” said Beggs.

Beggs also said the employees, while each doing separate tasks, are “cross-trained” to collaborate with one another.

DeSha said working in the office is “like family here.”

The educational aspect is also important for the assessor’s office with employees completing requirements for state certification.

“We all take classes. They’re not easy classes,” said DeSha. “The classes they’ll teach you — introductory classes for people just starting. They teach you how to do sales comparison, income classes and commercial property.”

But experience is also a helpful way to learn, Beggs said.

“Once you get a group on it, it’s something you’re never going to forget,” said Beggs.

DeSha also said there are tax exemption applications residents can apply for.

“We have a household exemption,” said DeSha. “If you own a house, you can get $2,000 off the taxable value. You pay the taxes on $8,000 instead of $10,000.”

Exemptions also include a veterans exemption with $4,000 off the taxable value, DeSha said. There is also a “value freeze” exemption for low-income, disabled and senior residents 65 and older, making less than $32,000 a year.

“It’s a good benefit for customers that don’t make a lot of money,” said DeSha.