Maricopa County is the fourth largest county in the U.S. by population, and real estate is a huge industry in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Republican Eddie Cook is currently the Maricopa County assessor and is campaigning for a four-year term in the position, and Democrat Greg Freeman is set to face him in November.
The assessor's primary role is to identify and value real estate at market value, and those parcels are taxed based on their value. The state agency tracks more than 1.8 million real estate parcels worth more than $1 trillion.
Cook, who was elected in 2020, served on the Gilbert Town Council from 2011 to 2020. Before becoming the county assessor, he worked in the technology industry.
Freeman has worked in the real estate industry for over 10 years as an escrow officer, notary public, leasing agent and construction manager, and also serves on the North Mountain and Deer Valley Zoning Boards.
The Arizona Republic asked both candidates to answer three questions about county issues and priorities as Maricopa County assessor. Their responses are listed below in alphabetical order. Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Why do you want this job?
Eddie Cook: I look forward to continuing to lead the office in its role as an advocate for property owners, and I want the Assessor's Office to continue to provide best-in-class, business-friendly customer service that is compassionate, respectful, and provides clear communication and education.
Under my leadership, I will continue to establish the standard in my office for doing “the right thing” for property owners. Arizona's property tax laws are some of the most complicated in the country, and I look forward to continuing to fight for property owners in the State Legislature.
My office has introduced six bills that will become Arizona's property tax law, providing clarification, improving disability exemptions for seniors and veterans, and providing more flexibility for businesses. We plan to introduce additional bills in the upcoming legislative session to continue fighting title fraud, increase the number of seniors who qualify for the personal exemption, and strengthen the definition of statutory property taxes to eliminate unjust property tax lawsuits.
If re-elected, I will be able to provide continuing education to the State Legislature, city and town councils, and local school boards on Arizona property tax law. My priority will be to ensure that the Assessor's Office serves everyone fairly and equitably, without being influenced by politics. I am committed to building a positive community that supports families and businesses.
Greg Freeman: I believe that the housing situation in the Phoenix metropolitan area is one of the biggest issues facing us today and a major contributing factor to the dramatic increase in homelessness. I want to do everything I can to address the massive housing shortage we face.
I have worked on this issue at the local level in the nonprofit sector and on two zoning boards near my home in Phoenix. The county assessor plays a critical role in solving this problem for all Maricopa County residents, and the person who holds this position will help shape the county we live in for decades to come.
I want to help build the homes, roads, schools and infrastructure our growing county needs. I want to see our public schools properly funded so every child in Maricopa County has access to the same great education.
What is the biggest challenge facing Maricopa County assessors?
Cook: The Maricopa County Assessor's Office is a multi-million dollar operation that requires assessors to have executive leadership experience. My team has 300 full-time team members with various levels of expertise and critical skills to assess all Maricopa County taxable property fairly and equitably, and provide the best customer service without bias.
When I became Assessor, I began to transform the office by implementing a “One Team” culture that recognizes the talents and abilities of each team member, promotes honesty, character and civility, fosters a sense of purpose, builds trust and respect, creates transparency, improves communication, leads to greater innovation, and develops effective and efficient processes.
Another major challenge I faced was modernizing our business software systems. I took over a customized software solution that was developed over 10 years and cost $20 million. With my technical expertise knowing how to get projects back on track, we successfully migrated decades worth of data from the old system to the new world-class flagship software. The Maricopa County Assessor's Office is now known as a leader in the technology industry.
Freeman: The biggest problem facing the Maricopa County Assessor's Office today is a lack of communication and trust. The Assessor's office is responsible for properly assessing taxes that fund our schools, local fire departments, sheriff's offices, community colleges, and many other essential services. Because assessments were not done correctly, the same agencies that relied on this office for funding were suddenly on the hook for $330 million.
The county assessor's job is to value things correctly and immediately tell those affected by the error what happened.
I will be a Maricopa County Assessor who actively engages the community and ensure that the employees in my office do the same.
What principles will guide the actions of the Assessor’s Office under your leadership?
Cook: The Assessor's Office was hit with great turmoil due to the criminal indictment of the previous Assessor. I have successfully restored and regained the honor of the Office and the public's trust. The fundamental principles that will guide the Office's actions under my direction are courage, character, integrity, honesty, compassion, excellence and fairness. I will lead the Office by always doing the right thing and being honest, accurate and transparent with property owners, the public and our team about our work and how we perform it.
I lead my team to ensure fair and equitable property assessments to support property tax collections, which are a critical funding source of valuable community resources. I always challenge my team to be hard-working, dedicated, and best-in-class public servants, working together with courtesy, respect and compassion while performing every task with the highest quality and providing an excellent customer experience. Together, we continue to implement practical, effective solutions that improve workflows, processes, and the lives of our team members and the public we serve.
I have made it my mission to ensure fairness, equity and respect are ensured in all aspects of our business to ensure best-in-class customer service. I have successfully accomplished this by creating a work environment that inspires and empowers my team to perform at the highest level while continuing to innovate, anticipate the changing needs of our community and embrace the latest technology. I am truly grateful to the public for the trust they have placed in me to serve in this very important public office, now and into the future.
Freeman: My Administration will operate primarily on the principles of Accountability, Service and Integrity. The Maricopa County Assessor is responsible for correctly assessing over $5.5 billion in taxable value each year and making that information easily accessible to those who need it.
The Assessor's Office is responsible for properly assessing property owners and accurately funding the government agencies that depend on it. I will ensure that the Assessor's Office serves Maricopa County residents properly so they can get what they need, how they need it.
Assessors deal with issues that are central to all of us – money and homes. I will ensure that the work entrusted to this office is carried out to the highest standards. It is vital that it is carried out with integrity and with the public's trust.
Contact the reporter catherine.reagor@arizonarepublic.com.
