1 Assessment Practices Review Panel 2011 St. Louis County August 31, 2011 – Commissioner’s Conference Room, Duluth.

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Assessment Practices Assessment Practices Review PanelReview Panel

2011 St. Louis County2011 St. Louis CountyAugust 31, 2011 – Commissioner’s Conference Room, DuluthAugust 31, 2011 – Commissioner’s Conference Room, Duluth

County AssessorCounty Assessor

Goals:Goals:

• Customer serviceCustomer service

• Comply with State standardsComply with State standards

• Efficient and productive staffEfficient and productive staff

• Accurate assessmentsAccurate assessments

• Leverage technological toolsLeverage technological tools

• FAIRNESS - EQUALIZATIONFAIRNESS - EQUALIZATION

TechnologyTechnology

• Assessor technological tools:Assessor technological tools:– MCISMCIS– GISGIS– Document managementDocument management– Mobile devicesMobile devices– Land records portalLand records portal

MCISMCIS

• Property Tax systemProperty Tax system– Used by Assessor and Auditor Used by Assessor and Auditor

MCISMCIS

• 13 county consortium13 county consortium

• St. Louis County joined in 1998St. Louis County joined in 1998

• CAMA (Computer-aided Mass CAMA (Computer-aided Mass Appraisal) system used by the Appraisal) system used by the AssessorAssessor

MCISMCIS

• CAMA systemCAMA system– Separate modules used to value land and Separate modules used to value land and

improvementsimprovements– Mass appraisal systemMass appraisal system– Valuation schedules are based on Valuation schedules are based on

assessor sales studiesassessor sales studies– Schedules are constructed using Schedules are constructed using

reasonable units of comparisonreasonable units of comparison– Assessor populates data for each parcelAssessor populates data for each parcel

MCISMCIS

• ReportingReporting– System creates state-mandated reportsSystem creates state-mandated reports– Querying capabilityQuerying capability– Error checking and data validationError checking and data validation

MCISMCIS

• BenefitsBenefits– Consistent, efficient, predictable assessmentsConsistent, efficient, predictable assessments– Integration with property tax moduleIntegration with property tax module– Programming tax law changesProgramming tax law changes– Data manipulationData manipulation– Continuity with other counties in regionContinuity with other counties in region– Quality-controlQuality-control– Local assessor data available for County Board of Local assessor data available for County Board of

Appeal and EqualizationAppeal and Equalization• NegativesNegatives

– Dated interfaceDated interface– ComplexityComplexity

GISGIS

• Benefits to the assessor:Benefits to the assessor:– Data accuracy Data accuracy

• Improved assessment quality, consistencyImproved assessment quality, consistency

– PlanimetricsPlanimetrics• Building sketches incorporated into GISBuilding sketches incorporated into GIS

– Assessor-specific services:Assessor-specific services:• Land gradingLand grading• Mining and minerals assessmentMining and minerals assessment• Agricultural classificationAgricultural classification

Document managementDocument management

• Electronic documentsElectronic documents– Conversion of internal formsConversion of internal forms

• Conversion of paper recordsConversion of paper records– Assessor documents being scanned and indexedAssessor documents being scanned and indexed– Accessible via land records portalAccessible via land records portal– Readily accessibleReadily accessible– Less paper/printing costsLess paper/printing costs– Less space needed for storageLess space needed for storage

• e-CRVe-CRV– Digital CRV being developed by Dept of RevenueDigital CRV being developed by Dept of Revenue– Being utilized already in other countiesBeing utilized already in other counties

Mobile devicesMobile devices

• IPad developmentIPad development– Use of live MCIS for assessor field workUse of live MCIS for assessor field work– Efficiency gained by elimination of data Efficiency gained by elimination of data

entry stepentry step

Land Records PortalLand Records Portal

• All County land information available in All County land information available in one placeone place

• Improved public access to County Improved public access to County information information

Looking ahead…Looking ahead…

• Further integration of CAMA, GISFurther integration of CAMA, GIS

• Data transparency Data transparency

• Technological tools will allow Technological tools will allow assessors to be more productive assessors to be more productive

• Need for well-trained, efficient Need for well-trained, efficient personnel capable of using technology personnel capable of using technology to its fullest potentialto its fullest potential