After several years of turmoil in the King County Assessor’s Office, voters have a chance to restore stability and professionalism to the office. Three candidates are vying to replace Assessor John A. Wilson, who decided not to seek reelection after he was charged with stalking a former fiancé. Those charges were later dismissed.
Chief Deputy Assessor Al Dams, who is a candidate for the seat, said he managed the office during Wilson’s legal crisis. He should be commended for his leadership during that period.
But candidate Rob Foxcurran is best positioned to bring a fresh perspective to the office and lead it long-term.
Currently a senior adjuster for the city of Seattle, he has worked as an adjuster in the private sector as well. That skill set would potentially benefit commercial and residential property owners alike.
For the past three years, Foxcurran also has served on the King County Board of Appeals and Equalization as a hearing examiner. In that role he adjudicates appeals involving the Department of Assessments’ property valuation. He has support from unions and corporate commercial property owners.
“King County currently ranks near the bottom nationally in commercial property tax fairness, and when the wealthiest corporations aren’t paying their share, that burden shifts directly onto everyone else’s shoulders,” Foxcurran said.
Foxcurran was critical of King County’s pandemic-era purchase of several hotels to provide temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness. In some cases the county paid more than 70% above the assessed value of the buildings, some of which required major improvements.
“This points to an important part if not the most important part of the assessor’s office and that is accuracy in valuations,” Foxcurran said. “Accuracy is fairness is equity. If values are accurate everybody is paying their fair share, no more, no less.”
Although assessors don’t set tax rates, Foxcurran said as county assessor he would use his platform to advocate for fairer property tax structures in Olympia. He has pushed for the state to create a homestead protection for homeowners’ primary residences, much like other states. He said he also would advocate to create a tax credit for low-income renters.
Also in the race for assessor is Shoreline City Councilmember Christopher Roberts. He, too, said he would work with the Legislature to advance a homestead exemption and would champion transparency in the office.
Still, considering Foxcurran’s experience in appraisals in commercial and residential properties and the assessment appeals process, his visionary approach to the office is a better choice for King County voters.
