Question: Hello Government George, I would like to know what the County Assessor actually does? Do you have a list of the duties of office? -Scott Thornburn
Answer: Well Mr. Thornburn, the County Assessor has the following basic responsibilities:
~Locate all taxable property in the County and identify the ownership.
~Establish a taxable value for all property subject to property taxation.
~Complete an assessment roll showing the assessed values of all property.
~Apply all legal exemptions.
State law mandates that all property is subject to taxation unless otherwise exempted. Your property taxes support necessary services provided to the residents of Los Angeles County. These include law enforcement, fire protection, education, parks and recreation, and other vital services. Property taxes are based on the assessed value of your property. Property tax bills show land and improvement values. Improvements include all assessable buildings and structures on the land. It does not necessarily mean that you have recently “improved” your property. In general, properties that are owned and used by educational, charitable, religious or government organizations may be exempt from certain property taxes. You may also qualify for certain exemptions. The Los Angeles County Assessor establishes the assessed value of your property by appraising the value of that property under applicable State laws. The assessed value is then placed on a list with all other properties in Los Angeles County and this list is called the “Assessment Roll.” The Assessor also approves and applies all exemptions, which are added to the Assessment Roll. The Assessment Roll is then presented to the Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller for further processing.
(Newspaper Publisher George Christopher Thomas answers government questions, email him at editor@vannuysnewspress.com. Thomas worked as a Congressional Staffer for the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997-2001. Thomas is also the direct descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, as well as two U.S. Presidents.)