Cindy Portmann - Snohomish County Assessor
Age: 47
Residence: Snohomish
Occupation: Chief deputy assessor, Snohomish County
Education: Numerous courses in assessment management and appraisal, International Association of Assessing Officers
Community/political experience: Former Democratic precinct-committee officer; classroom volunteer; member of Soroptimists International of Everett and Port Gardner Bay Business and Professional Women community-service organizations; member, Leadership Snohomish County DreamMakers Team
Campaign Web site: www.vote4cindy.org
Questions:
1. How will you address your top three priorities for the position?
My priorities would be working for fair and equitable assessments, improving our property-tax system and providing efficient and courteous service. I would accomplish this by putting my years of experience, knowledge and leadership skills to work for the citizens of Snohomish County and by working together with other assessors, staff members, taxpayers and the Legislature.
2. What service/staff member/capital project would you most want to add to the department you'd head?
Due to the rapid growth in our county, I would add a residential-appraiser staff member to ensure we are not compromising the quality of our assessments given the ever-increasing quantity of work. An additional appraiser would help us to ensure we meet our statutory deadlines, respond to citizens' needs and ensure fair and equitable assessments.
3. The majority of the budget goes to criminal-justice expenditures. Should they be scaled back or other services cut instead?
I believe we have to take a common-sense approach to cuts. We need to look at cutting or scaling back any nonmandated and nonessential services first, whether they are criminal-justice-related or from other services. If more cuts are needed, an across-the-board cut may be necessary.