What Does an Assessor Do?

The assessor is the government official responsible for establishing the value of property for ad valorem tax purposes. (ad valorman assessment is one based solely on market value.)

The assessor is responsible for discovering, listing, and valuing all taxable and exempt property in the county.  This includes both real and personal property. (Real property is loosely defined as land and all things attached to the land, and personal property as all other property including mobile homes in courts and elsewhere).

In accomplishing this task, the assessor is responsible to the property owner to ensure that the value is correct so that the owner pays no more than their fair share of the property tax burden as determined by legislative class rates.

The assessor is also responsible for ensuring that no property escapes the assessment process or is under assessed.

A summary of the assessors’ annual duties is contained in the following list.

1. Locate and identify all taxable property.
2. Collect all data and characteristics necessary to make a proper assessment.
3. Determine the extent that each parcel is taxable.
4. Estimate the market value of each taxable parcel.
5. Calculate the net tax capacity based on property class for each parcel.
6. Prepare and certify the assessment of all taxable parcels in Lake County.
7. Notification to property owners of the value and classification of their property.
8. Begin the review and appeals process for all property owners by holding local board of appeal meetings, county board of appeal and equalization meetings and appearing in tax court if required.