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Assessor's Office Wins Two AACo Awards

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A project that has helped serve Maricopa County property owners more effectively and efficiently has won two prestigious awards.

Project Green Line won the Arizona Association of Counties (AACo) 2019 Summit Award in County Administration, Finance & Management, and the distinguished Urban Innovation Merit Award. Robin St. Germain, acting ownership/mapping division manager, and Ken Errico, former ownership/mapping division manager, accepted the awards at the conclusion of the AACo Annual Leadership Conference.

The Property Ownership and GIS Mapping Division implemented Project Green line in March 2018 to streamline processes and improve efficiencies. Since implementation, the department has seen a double-digit percentage decrease in the average time to transfer property ownership and double-digit percentage increases in the number of splits and subdivisions mapped.

Congratulations to Robin, Ken, and the Property Ownership and GIS Mapping Divisions for their hard work and honors!

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The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Bill Wiley to serve as the Acting Administrator to the Assessor's Office during Assessor Petersen's 120-day suspension.

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Below is a note from Mr. Wiley.

I am not a stranger to public service, having worked for federal, state, city, and county governments. My nearly 40-year career has taken me from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, into the private sector running several innovative departments within APS, and back into public service this decade leading the Maricopa County Air Quality Department and Flood Control District.

Most recently, I was chosen to lead the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department on an interim basis; if you are slowed down by the ubiquitous paving activities, you are enjoying the fruit of my task there. I am proud of the work of these organizations and of the extraordinary staff with their dedication and commitment to quality work.

You might be wondering, "What does an acting administrator do?" I have been asked to lead this organization during this time and will be working closely with the leadership team to ensure the mission is met and that people see us a stable and responsive organization. While my time here has just begun, I have already met many staff members and see an energetic staff of hard-working and skilled individuals who are committed to innovation as well as our mission.

Being in the public eye is not easy; often, it can be a thankless job. But, it is an important and necessary job; government does the things that our citizens believe need to be done for the overall public benefit. Having been in both the public and private sectors, I prefer the former, as I've always felt fortunate to be able to serve.

Thank you for your trust and cooperation. Together, we will continue to serve the property owners and residents of this great county.

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Innovating Local Government: How Project Green Line Reduced Inefficiencies and Improved Accuracy

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PHOENIX, AZ — Maricopa County Assessor Paul D. Petersen's office has taken the stereotypical slow, inefficient government model and turned it on its head. Project Green Line has produced efficiency levels not typically associated with government.

Petersen's Ownership and Mapping Division processes property deeds and keeps maps of properties accurate. Both affect the timeline of buying and selling a home as well as legitimizing other property ownership changes. With the success of this project, the office has been able to process documents in real time. Streamlining this process ensures tax payers are able to view their property record transactions without waiting months for government paperwork to be processed and then made available to the public for viewing.

In 2018 alone, Petersen's office processed 306,551 documents, reduced average deed processing time by 14%, reduced property ownership errors by 54%, and mapped 20% more subdivisions. The office under Ownership and Mapping manager Ken Errico has accomplished this through using Lean Management Practices as well as Six Sigma methodologies as the baseline of the project. Both of these models are typical practices in the private sector.

Project Green Line is an example of a results-driven management system. In fact, it is a model that Chairman Bill Gates has called for in order to improve our county government for Maricopa County residents.

Assessor Petersen is also currently working to update other functionalities to help the office run more efficiently and assist the public better in navigating the complicated world of property taxes.

Contact: Ryan Boyd
Tel: (602) 372-9295 (o) / 602-316-3572 (c)
Email: Ryan.Boyd@maricopa.gov

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Assessor Paul D. Petersen Mails Annual Notice of Value

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Values Rise Above Pre-Recession Levels; 60 Days to Appeal Values

PHOENIX, AZ – Maricopa County Assessor Paul D. Petersen is mailing out the annual Notice of Value for approximately 1.6 million real property parcels for tax year 2020 to Maricopa County property owners.

The annual notice of value includes both the full cash value which represents the market value and the limited property value which is used in property tax calculations for both the upcoming tax year 2020 and the tax year that just closed for comparison.

Real property values in Arizona are set a full year behind when they are used in order to allow for an extensive appeal process. Unlike other forms of taxation, property taxes allow residents to both appeal their individual values and testify on how much revenue should be raised in total to their local school districts, city or town, county board of supervisors and special districts.

Property owners will have 60 days to appeal their full cash value if they believe they have evidence that their property is worth less. While instructions are included on the Notice of Value, property owners can find more information on appeals at: Appeals Information Page.

"Our staff works diligently to provide high quality and efficient service to everyone in Maricopa County," Petersen said. "We are always willing to hear from you, our constituents, as our goal is to make sure every value is accurate and fair."

Overall, values have continued to rise following a seven-year trend. The median single-family residential full cash value has increased to $231,800, finally surpassing the pre-recession record of $229,500 in tax year 2008.

Commercial, apartments, condominiums and vacant land also saw significant value growth this year, with only manufactured housing seeing a decline in value among major property types.

Contact: Ryan Boyd
Tel: (602) 372-9295 (o) / 602-316-3572 (c)
Email: Ryan.Boyd@maricopa.gov

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Maricopa County Chief Deputy Assessor Timothy L. Boncoskey becomes President of the International Association of Assessing Officers

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PHOENIX — Timothy L. Boncoskey, the Chief Deputy Assessor under Maricopa County Assessor Paul D. Petersen, took on the role of President of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) as of January 1, 2019 as the second Arizonan to do so.

Chief Deputy Assessor Boncoskey will lead the nearly 8,000 assessment professionals interested in property valuation and taxation across the globe in their mission to promote innovation and excellence in property appraisal, assessment administration and property tax policy.

The IAAO continues to be the forum to discuss and set industry standards on emerging technology such as integrating drones and more geographic data into property appraisals. As President, Chief Deputy Assessor Boncoskey will help guide these discussions and bring back best practices that will benefit the Maricopa County community.

This act of service comes on top of over a decade of volunteerism in the professional field. Chief Deputy Assessor Boncoskey has served in the IAAO since joining then-Maricopa County Assessor Keith E. Russell’s administration in 2006. He also serves on the National Association of Counties (NACo) Board of Directors and previously served 17 years in various positions in Arizona’s State government.

The inauguration of Chief Deputy Assessor Boncoskey is just one of many examples of why the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office has a reputation for innovation and leadership in property assessment.

Under Maricopa County Assessor Paul D. Petersen and Chief Deputy Assessor Tim Boncoskey, the Assessor’s Office has adopted its award-winning Legal Class Verification and Desktop Review Programs, launched its first fully digital forms and promoted electronic statements. All of which save taxpayers money and provide more convenient service to the public.

Contact: Ryan Boyd
Tel: (602) 372-9295
Email: Ryan.Boyd@maricopa.gov

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