Los Angeles County Assessor Recognized with National Achievement Awards

L.A. County Assessor Jeff Prang

The Office of Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang has been named by the National Association of Counties (NACo) as the winner of two 2019 Achievement Awards for the development of cutting-edge information technology systems.

NACo is recognizing the Assessor for its Mobile Assets Tracking System (MATS) and Train Tracks, with the latter being a collaborative effort between Assessor staff and students from the University of Southern California (USC).

“As a public agency, it is imperative that we continually identify potential efficiencies; but we must also ensure we maintain the expertise which is at the core of our mission to value property in a fair and accurate manner,” said Assessor Jeff Prang. “These awards highlight the ability of the dedicated, hard-working professionals of the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office to fulfill both goals. And that, in turn, allows us to better serve the residents and businesses in  the county.”

Assessor Prang’s office appraises the value of properties, and that valuation translates into taxes that results in public services such as police, fire, education and roads, to name just a few.

As an example the assessed value of properties both residential, commercial and industrial in Cerritos for 2017 was about $9.23 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to about $9.63 billion which reflects an increase of about $399 million, according to Los Angeles County records. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $399,000 in 2018.

In Artesia for 2017 the value was about $1.6 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to about $1.7 billion which reflects an increase of about $83 million, according to Los Angeles County records. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $83,000 in 2018.

In Norwalk, the value for 2017 was $7.2 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to about $7.7 billion which reflects an increase of $448 million. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $445,000 in 2018.

In Lakewood, the value for 2017 was $9.1 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to $9.6 billion which reflects an increase of $489 million. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $489,000 in 2018.

In Commerce, the value for 2017 was $5.2 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to $5.4 billion which reflects an increase of $150 million. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $150,000 in 2018.

In Bellflower, the value for 2017 was $5.2 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to $5.5 billion which reflects an increase of $244 million. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $244,000 in 2018.

In Bellflower, the value for 2017 was $5.2 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to $5.44 billion which reflects an increase of $244 million. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $244,000 in 2018.

In La Mirada, the value for 2017 was $6.3 billion and for the following year, 2018, it increased to $6.6 billion which reflects an increase of $350 million. That additional valuations translates to additional tax revenues of about $350,000 in 2018.

The deployment of MATS in spring 2018 has also  provided the Assessor’s Office with a real-time asset inventory mechanism, replacing a paper-based system that risked failing to capture equipment moves across numerous locations. It was developed in-house without assistance from external vendors and has produced significant time savings due to its user-friendly design, mobile capability, real-time reporting, and improved audit compliance.

As with MATS, Train Tracks was developed by the Assessor’s Office, first implemented as a pilot in February 2018 to track required education and training for licensed appraisers in order to ensure these experts retain their certification by the state.

This continued education and training is particularly crucial in Los Angeles County, where the number and complexity of properties require that appraisers stay current on appraisal techniques and regulations. In addition to homes and businesses, the 2.57 million properties across the County comprise complex commercial properties and unique sites such as refineries, stadiums, and theme parks.

Train Tracks now includes over 630 appraisers and saves more than 1,280 personnel hours, translating to an estimated $70,000 in annual cost savings. Furthermore, the system can be adapted for use by other county departments where professionals are required to undergo regular training to remain certified in their respective trades.