Countywide : Assessor’s Office Loses Bid for New Computer

The Board of Supervisors has decided not to buy new computer equipment and hire programming consultants for the county assessor’s office, causing Assessor Bradley L. Jacobs to warn about a reduction in his staff’s efficiency and higher costs for the same improvements in the future.

Jacobs told the board Tuesday that unexpected staff vacancies had saved his office about $700,000 in the fiscal year that ends June 30. He requested that $407,000 of the savings be spent on the consultants and new computer equipment.

But County Administrative Officer Larry Parrish said the government’s overall fiscal situation is still too precarious for such an expense.

“The instructions for all of the departments is that these issues will be dealt with at budget time,” Parrish said. “It is too early to make a commitment of this size.”

Jacobs warned the board not to “penalize the savers. If the savers are penalized, there won’t be very many of them,” he said.

The assessor’s office is supposed to produce an updated list of property values in the county by July 1, but it has already been granted two extensions on its deadline until July 31, Jacobs said.

Asked if the extended deadline was in jeopardy because of the board’s decision, Jacobs said, “It’s going to be very uncomfortable and very unpleasant. It’s going to undoubtedly impact our effectiveness.”