Letter: Vote for Kidwell (April 26)
As a former elected Madera County assessor and native-born Maderan, I have the best interests of this community at heart.
Tom Kidwell came to work for me in February 1985. He took over my ag crew in late 1986 and laid the basis for a Williamson Act Ag Preserve program that the California Department in Conservation has said should be the model for every county in the state.
Tom became the elected Assessor in 1994. Since then, he has been recognized for his professionalism, evidenced in part by the important committees he has served on for the California Assessors’ Association. For the part of the county dollar he directly controls, he runs a tight budget. His fifteen person appraisal staff members, with only one exception, hold Advanced Appraiser certification status with the State Board of Equalization. To benefit the people, and follow the law, he has lowered the assessed values of more than 15,000 residential properties.
This is government run like a business. Join me to continue the integrity of the assessment process in Madera. Vote for Tom Kidwell for assessor.
Richard E. Gordon
Madera County Assessor 1978-1994,
Madera
Kidwell is a 16 year Democratic Incumbent. I have lived in Madera County for over 18 years. I have been over assessed every time I have purchased or built a home in Madera County.
Kidwell is out of touch with the people he represents. We need new leadership. Its time to VOTE Kidwell OUT!
Kenneth Russell is such a dedicated and hard working individual. I was just thinking of how many people you have been there for over the years, quietly in the background. You are so knowledged in past and current Real Estate laws & Real Estate property rights, the folks of Madera will be lucky to have you protecting them and their rights!
Vote – Kenneth Russell for County Assessor!
C. Diane Peterson
HELLO TOM…. GLAD YOU WON… SOUR GRAPES TO 2 ABOVE 2 COMMENTERS! “over-assessed”……..more like :”don’t want to pay my fair share”…anyway; keep up the terrific job.
Just because someone is knowledgeable in real estate law, or real estate property rights, does not mean that they know anything about who governs what the assessor’s office does.
If you don’t know anything about that, and most don’t, you should know it is governed by the State Board of Equalization. They make the rules, not the Assessor or his office.
I want my rights protected by someone who knows the those rights are under the law, not someone that KNOWS real estate law. I wonder if you went to the assessment appeals board if you thought you were being over assessed each time you purchased property, and if you did, there was more than one person in the room deciding whether or not it was in your favor or not. That is part of your right, to have a hearing, in which not just one person decides if your assessment is to high.
I hope there are some educated people out there that will bother to read exactly how your property is assessed, and who the Assessor’s office is governed by. Call the State Board of Equalization if you don’t like the current laws.
I’m Voting for Kidwell, YES I DO WANT MY RIGHTS PROTECTED.