Despite the unpopularity of the task in the face of inflation and population growth causing spikes in home prices, two candidates are seeking to become the next Lewis County assessor.
After working in the office since 1975, Assessor Dianne Dorey is finally seeking retirement over re-election.
Instead, one of two Republican candidates will take her place after the countywide Nov. 8 general election.
The candidate elected will serve a four-year term with an annual salary of $90,852. To register to vote in this election, head to https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/voter-registration/ or call 360-740-1164 to find registration nearest you.
Along with home valuations in the county and determining the amount of property taxes that need to be collected from residents by the treasurer, it’s the assessor’s job to slice up tax dollars appropriately for various junior taxing districts such as fire departments and libraries.
Ross Nielson, 53, of Winlock, saw filing for candidacy as sending in a job application.
As the Republican candidate is already working for the Lewis County Assessor’s Office, he’s seeking a promotion this fall.
He has never held public office before.
Born and raised in Washington, Nielson lived in Seattle and Bellingham before moving to Lewis County 22 years ago with his wife to raise four children who graduated from Winlock High School.
With a background in retail, Nielson worked as a real estate appraiser for just shy of ten years. He was also employed by the Winlock School District and in various retail management positions before he was hired as an appraiser for the Assessor’s Office seven years ago. He was later promoted to sales analyst.
Each year, it’s Nielson’s job to value five sixths of the county.
Traveling across the county valuing homes for the process of accurate property taxation, he said, he’s had guns brandished around him and seen plenty of conflict from upset taxpayers. But Nielson said he sees himself as a peacemaker. Where these confrontations may make others worry, he said he views them as a way to educate homeowners, troubleshoot problems and make sure laws are applied fairly to everyone.
“When I was doing fee appraisal, I would have mortgage brokers call and say, ‘This needs to come in at value, or else.’ And I would say, ‘Or else?’ And I would cancel the order. I would say, I’m not going to work for someone that’ll do that,” he said. “The value is going to be what it is and it’s going to be correct.”
He added the role of the assessor is to be a rudder on the ship ensuring correctness, as well as keeping up with mapping of the county and divvying up levy dollars appropriately.
If elected, he said he would focus on not changing things simply for the sake of change, but would seek to improve the office’s customer service.
Nielson and opponent Tom Crowson are friends, he said. He likes and respects him, but says the difference between them is Crowson’s emphasis on changing state legislation related to property taxes.
He called promising lower taxes “pandering,” noting it isn’t the job of the assessor. Their job, he said, is to be correct.
“I want the nuts and bolts to work,” he said, adding later, “I just want to do the job correctly: make sure it’s done right and make sure all the employees know I have their back and all the customers that come in know I have their back.”
Crowson, 70, of rural Chehalis near Napavine, is a 12-year resident of Lewis County running on the slogan, “the taxpayer’s choice.”
After studying linguistics at the University of California in San Diego, he left college right before graduating to become a firefighter. He spent most of his career in firefighting until a knee injury left him unable to continue the physically demanding job.
He has held public office before as a fire district commissioner in Napavine. He also previously served on the Lewis County Board of Equalization, a citizens committee made to hear appeals related to property valuation and other determinations made by the assessor, according to the county website. Crowson has served on other volunteer boards for the county as well, including the Water Conservancy Board and the Lewis County Public Facilities District.
“Nobody really cares about the assessor until they get their property tax bill,” Crowson said, adding later that during his time on the Board of Equalization, “We find people coming in and they’re in tears. Especially seniors, people on fixed incomes, people on disability, because even if their homes are paid off, they’re worried they’re not going to be able to pay their property tax and they’re going to get foreclosed on.”
The state exempts seniors from property taxes who make under $40,000 per year, but he said a married couple on social security makes more than that.
The assessor has no power to change state law, he said, which is why, if elected, he wants to work with local lawmakers to amend property tax law in Washington. With residents incurring higher costs of living in other aspects, he said the Legislature should be using surplus dollars for property tax relief.
Another thing Crowson said he’d focus on if elected is improving the assessor’s customer service. With the Board of Equalization being set up to naturally favor the office until a taxpayer proves the valuation to be incorrect, he said customers at the assessor’s office are met with an “arrogant attitude.”
With Nielson working for the assessor’s office already, Crowson said, “If you like my opponent, you should vote for me … I would keep him on staff, that way you get two for one. Even he laughed at that.”
Crowson added Nielson is a self-described number cruncher and the office needs workers like that.
“I’ll always remember that I'm going to work for the voters, for the property owners. I think that’s real important,” Crowson said. “Our next assessor is really going to need to work with the state.”
Visit https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/current-election/ for an online voters’ guide to read more about the candidates.
