A.G. Gancarski
The second day of Sam Mousa‘s review of Jacksonville municipal departmental budgets continues with a half hour sojourn through the Property Appraiser budget. And we are blogging this and every session today.
For a recap of Monday’s action, go here.
8:30: We are the only media here. As ever, we appreciate the opportunity.
8:35: Incoming Property Appraiser Jerry Holland says the good news is property values are going up. Appraisers can make more in the private sector in a boom market. The challenge for him is to retain employees. Holland is a licensed appraiser and property broker, so he knows the lure of the private sector. He’s asking for increased salaries: $200K total to incentivize retention. Other enhancements: appraisal software ($27K) and education and travel. Equipment needs of ($67K) and hiring to target “exemption fraud.” The latter is a direct impact to the budget.
“If you do a better job, you get more revenue. That’s the bottom line,” Holland says.
“Our goal is not increasing values beyond what they are appraised at,” he adds, but to maximize revenue acquisition during this bubble.
“As we invest in this,” he adds, the “return should be multiple times” what the investment is.
8:39: Mousa: “How are we going to measure that” effort re: “what revenues are escaping us?”
8:40: Holland believes it is measurable to some degree. He wants to review properties every four years, not five years as is current. “When we know that the real estate market is up,” he wants to make sure the appraised values match the market surge.
8:42: Jim Overton, outgoing appraiser, speaks. The canvass system needs enhancements; these are helping in Hillsborough County. “Give us some more money and we’ll do a better job.”
8:43: Mousa says Curry is interested in ROI. Needs quantifiable results. Overton says he will reach out to Hillsborough.
8:44: Overton says that the department has improved assessments with added staff and plan review.
8:45: Mousa wonders if the office reviewed the budget with anyone in the mayor’s office. The answer is no. This was the case with budgets yesterday also and seems to be a source of irritation.
8:46: The case is the same with the state.
8:47: Mousa says last September, Council wanted to cut Overton’s budget. Overton said it was state approved. Mousa mentions that Council can override the property appraiser’s budget. Happened with the previous appraiser.
8:48: Overton says that when he came in, “we weren’t playing ball with the city.” Now there is more compliance.
8:50: Overton says that a market study of salaries indicated Duval was “low” and, since “we’re in a competitive market for talent,” there is attrition of talent. The average salary in Duval is $43K; statewide, it is $56K; nearby counties are over Duval also, creating a “competitive disadvantage.”
8:52: A discussion of a merit pool and reclassification’s impact on the budget. An upgrade of a lower-level position, essentially.
8:53: Overton: “We’ve never done an across-the-board pay increase.”
8:54: Mousa: “The merit pool gives me heartburn,” as “meritorious” city employees have gotten the short end in the past.
8:55: Overton and Holland are making case for merit poll. Carrot/stick, keep up with private sector, et al. “I can’t go forward and get that return without carrots,” says Holland. “I’ve got to go in… and be able to motivate these people.”
8:56: Mousa asks about reduction in operating budget and increased capital outlay. The office is adding a couple of workstations. $254,302 is the proposed budget increase.
8:58: Weinstein asks about the five year review of properties. State law used to be three, according to Overton. He lobbied Tallahassee to change that, and used aerials and such to drive efficiency. “It’s just too hard to do it in three years,” says Overton, given a staff of 17 field inspectors.
9:00: Holland believes there are other areas “where we’re still leaving something on the table.”
9:05: A discussion of property rolls. Overton: “in a rising market, it’s going to be a better number.”
END.
