Jefferson County Assessor Jim Everson released the Assessor's office 2007 Annual Report containing information about Assessor's office expenditures and operations during 2007.

"When adjusted for inflation and accounting changes, we again cut expenditures in 2007," stated Everson. "Expenditures were 13% ($553,813) less than the Assessor's office approved 2007 budget."

In 2007, the County Budget Division established a new method of accounting for shared services, such as computer services and building facilities costs, whereby these were "billed out" to the Assessor's office rather than being absorbed at the county level. "This change made comparing prior years' results with 2007 an apples and oranges task," said Everson. "For this report, I have chosen to focus on expenditures excluding Interdepartmental charges since the Assessor's Office had direct control over these expenditures"

The budget/accounting change led to Interdepartmental expenses for the office increasing over the old method by $1,546,839 yielding a 2,149.49% inflation-adjusted increase in the Interdepartmental expense category. If the prior method had been used in 2007, Interdepartmental expenses actually would have decreased by 31.91% ($22,078).

"In the three years that I have been County Assessor, we have lowered inflation adjusted expenses by 9.69%, excluding Interdepartmental expenses," remarked Everson. "During that same period, we improved service to our citizens by making more information available on our web site and in new kiosks, while booking an 11.33% inflation adjusted decrease in spending per property schedule serviced."

"The credit goes to the employees who have done a great job of finding ways to do more with less, resulting in taxpayers getting the same or improved service at a lower cost," said Everson. In the report, he also cites new methods and procedures and the automation of some work as driving employee efficiency.

The Annual Report can be found on the Assessor's home page at www.jeffco.us/assessor under "Publications & Reports" or directly at www.jeffco.us/jeffco/assess_uploads/2007_annual_report_complete.pdf

The Assessor's office values all property in Jefferson County for property tax purposes. Property owners can visit the Assessor web site at www.jeffco.us/assessor, call 303-271-8600, or e-mail assessor@jeffco.us for more information.