Marc Scott, candidate for Arapahoe County assessor

(Incumbent)

Party: Republican

City or town of residence: Centennial

Profession: Arapahoe County assessor

Campaign Website: marcscottforassessor.com

Why are you seeking this office?

Property tax in Arapahoe County supports nine school districts, 13 cities and towns, and numerous taxing authorities. The assessor's office is an important part of the property tax cycle and needs an elected official who is well qualified for that position. I bring those qualifications to the assessor's office, along with an understanding of fair and equitable assessments. I was appointed assessor in January 2017 and have served Arapahoe County for more than seven years.

What makes you the best choice for assessor?

My career as an assessor and appraiser extends over 38 years. For the past seven-plus years I have served the Arapahoe County Assessor's Office as senior commercial appraiser, chief deputy assessor and assessor. In addition to being licensed in Colorado as a Certified General Appraiser, I am professionally designated as an MAI appraiser. Extensive experience and local expertise allows me to effectively lead the assessor's office and manage the staff of more than 60 employees.

What are the most important traits or skills for an assessor to possess?

Property tax in Colorado is ad valorem (“according to value”) and the assessor's office is essentially the county's appraisal office. The assessor starts the property tax cycle by discovering, classifying and valuing all property within the county. Having a professional, licensed appraiser with local expertise and management skills serving as assessor is advantageous to the county. An experienced appraiser will also understand real estate trends, market cycles, and have an appreciation of private property rights.

What must an effective assessor accomplish?

An effective assessor must thoroughly understand both the appraisal roles and the administrative reporting functions of the office. Final values are reported to taxing authorities via the Certification Report based on tax district boundaries. These values are also reported to the Colorado Division of Property Taxation on a property class basis in the annual Abstract Report. Finally, these values are reported on a parcel basis in the annual Tax Warrant Roll delivered to the treasurer.

What will your top priority be if elected?

My top priority will be to continue producing accurate valuations and meeting all reporting deadlines. Reporting accurate valuations is one of the core functions of the assessor's office and one that has a direct impact on residents of Arapahoe County, including both property owners and tenants. It is important that the property values be as accurate as possible to appropriately distribute the tax burden while allowing for predictable revenue for schools and other taxing authorities.