The Best Friend An Assessor Has Ever Had
The International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) has the proud honor of having celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. The IAAO is the internationally recognized leader and preeminent source for innovative, education, and research in property appraisal, assessment administration, and property tax policy. Anyone who has even a few months experience in assessment administration (assuming the most basic of orientations) knows how dedicated the IAAO and its staff work to keep their organization working for us members.
The IAAO should be extremely proud of what it has accomplished this last 75 years. But like all well ran organizations the IAAO must take this opportunity to perform a self-assessment of where we've been, where we want to go, and how we will meet these goals together as an organization. While all of the areas of the IAAO mission are important perhaps the most important will be needed guidance to assessment administrators in the area of what the International City/County Management Association calls Next Generation Initiatives. Their Next Generation Initiatives include addressing the retirement wave that is approaching by establishing session planning and coaching methods, among other plans.
The IAAO must also strive to address urgent issues in a quicker manner, a difficult challenge for all large organizations, but critical to its members. A recent example is the guidance that the IAAO gave on foreclosure activities in the market which were certainly appreciated, but perhaps late in coming for many jurisdictions that had effective dates for assessments on December 31, 2008, or January 1, 2009. One suggestion is that the IAAO Executive Board reviews the Constitution, Bylaws, and Procedural Rules for the possible implementation of emergency legislation practices used by similar bodies to address urgent matters.
These are only a few suggestions and I’m sure that other IAAO members can provide even better suggestions and comments.
