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Change in city assessor stands
Top Headlines Councilor Bill Bowles asked colleagues to overrule a committee vote and bring his request for a public hearing on another supervisory change to a vote of the full council, but the council rejected the request on a 5-5 vote. The measure needed eight votes, or support of two-thirds of the 11-member panel to pass. Technically, Bowles asked the council to discharge his request for a public hearing from the ordinance committee, which would override a 2-1 committee vote rejecting the move last month. Bowles, an ordinance committee member, has argued the committee vote was "undemocratic" and is pushing the council to reconsider its 10-1 decision in February to transfer supervision of the chief assessor from the board of assessors to the mayor. He voted with the majority in February, but protests by the board of assessors since that vote prompted him to seek a change. The three-member board of assessors argues its supervision of the chief assessor is appropriate because it shields the assessor's office from potential political influence on the assessment of property. Bowles said the call for a public hearing was a "reasonable" response to concerns about the council's February decision. Ordinance committee colleague Frank Cook, who was the sole vote against the change in February, lambasted charges the committee vote was "undemocratic." He said the question of supervision was debated in detail, and a decision was democratically made. While he didn't agree with it, Cook said it should stand to see if it works. He disputed worries about undue influence, arguing a mayor oversees administrative actions, not assessments. "Democracy doesn't mean that we keep voting on it until you get what you want," he said. "We should let it ride to see if it works. There is nothing to show that we should change it." GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.
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