My philosophy is simple. The department head, in this case the Assessor, is the manager and should be proactive with his work force, customer (taxpayer) and in reformatting a tax plan that is fair and offers as close to true equalization as possible.

 

To accomplish this goal, both the Assessor and the staff must be accessible, willing to listen and willing to work with all constituent groups in the County. An open door policy does no good if the feedback is ignored like it is with today's incumbent.

Furthermore, no one should have to sell their life long home simply because their real estate taxes have sky rocketed. This is not only unfair but patently absurd and why I have a plan in place to present to the Legislature to LOWER your taxes.

 

The legislators must hear the community's voice and I believe it is the Assessor who echoes the people's voice and frames it into active legislation. The Assessor must be in the forefront leading the cause for a true equalized tax system.

It is my belief proper management skills coupled with the willingness to persevere is the key to transforming the office into a customer friendly environment. Responsible management will also reorient this office to the Mission Statement and Value Statement published on the County's website.

 

These statements represent the blueprint by which the County's employees should interact with the people. Unfortunately, neither is being followed by today's Assessor.

 

I graduated from Oklahoma University in 1972 with a degree in journalism and a major in public relations. After graduation, I went to Officer Training School where I graduated a Second Lieutenant. I had been enlisted for 8 1/2 years prior to my commissioning.

 

As an officer, mandatory management and leadership courses were part of an officer's development and growth in the ranks. The Air Force was very education oriented and believed the better educated its member, the better the Air Force. I think this holds true in civilian life and most especially in government.

 

The Assessor's office has an appraisal staff that is very educated in its field. I think the staff also needs exposure to courses ancillary to appraisal such as personnel management, human relations and customer service. Such courses can only help to raise the level of public service by these public servants.

 

I believe this would produce a win-win-win operational scenario. I will do my best to implement this idea.

 

I retired from the Air Force in 1984, and in the ensuing years before moving to Reno was a stock broker with Dean Witter Reynolds (no longer an active brokerage) and A. G. Edwards. I was an active broker until 1990 when I ran for the California 4th Congressional District seat as a Republican.

 

This opportunity taught me quite a bit about the internal workings of an election especially who your friends aren't. After moving to Reno, I volunteered, and was accepted, for a seat on the Board of Equalization. I served on the Board during 2005 and 2006 hearing 1000s of appeals.

 

I look forward to becoming the Assessor and advancing my ideas on property taxation to both the citizens and the government. If I can be a catalyst to change the system so it works with only a few bugs as opposed to its present unbelievably complicated mess, I will consider myself being successful as the Assessor.

 

 

My mailing address for comments, ideas and contributions is:

 

2010 Mayer Way

Sparks, NV 89431

 

All checks for the campaign should be made payable to:

 

tomkoziolforassessor

 

Thank you.

 

P.S. I will put the "public" back into public servant at the Assessor's office.