Manatee property appraiser candidates face off in debate

Customer service at the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s Office became a focal point during a candidate forum Friday.

During the debate at METV sponsored by the Bradenton Herald, Republican challenger Chester Bullock said he once went to the Property Appraiser’s Office and had to wait at the front desk for service.

“They’ve done OK up to this point,” he said. “I just want people to come in and not feel like they are under the gun. ... I felt the service has been very poor.”

But Republican incumbent Charles Hackney said “that is simply not true.”

“I will guarantee that is not the case,” said Hackney, who has been property appraiser for 24 years. “We pride ourselves on taking care of people, waiting on them, taking care of the needs. The vast majority of the people that come in our office have personal service. We wait on them promptly.”

Republican voters will be able to cast a ballot for either Bullock or Hackney in the Aug. 30 primary. The winner will be decided in the Nov. 8 election since there is a write-in candidate, Lauren Ramirez.

When asked what legal power the Property Appraiser’s Office has to stop appraisals from rising due to real estate market conditions, Hackney said none.

“Everything that we do, we are required by law to assess values by market value,” he said. “We are audited by the Department of Revenue. There is state accountability.”

But Bullock asked where is the relief for seniors when their taxes go up?

“I think that is an important question that needs to be answered somewhere along the line that hasn’t been answered,” he said.

In Manatee County, about 19 percent of people take exemptions, which is unequal, Bullock said. Hackney refuted that number, saying about 55 percent of residential structures in Manatee County have homestead exemptions.

“I think the people that are paying the brunt or the most need some sort of consideration,” Bullock said.

While Hackney said he’s sorry to hear that people are being taxed out of their homes, “the laws are in place to protect residents. People that make this their permanent home get a break on their taxes.”

As a property appraiser, Bullock said he would go to Tallahassee to help veterans and seniors on fixed incomes extra help.

“I don’t think they really understand what is going on,” he said. “We don’t want to create more homeless. ... I believe there is a way to help them.”

While Hackney said he is sympathetic to the homeless and poor and something needs to be done, that’s not the duty of the Property Appraiser’s Office.

“As far as our office trying to solve the ills of society and this major problem that nobody else seems to be able to solve, is not in the purview of the property appraiser,” he said.

If re-elected, Hackney said he will continue to try to advance the technology used in the office.

“I am very proud of what the office is and I will make no changes to it whatsoever,” he said.

The first priority as property appraiser would be having transparency in the office, Bullock said.

“I think there needs to be more transparency,” he said.

This story was originally published August 19, 2016 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Manatee property appraiser candidates face off in debate."