Appeals board does not favor assessor’s office

February 20, 2015
Tom Bordonaro

Tom Bordonaro

OPINION By TOM BORDONARO

I read with interest Noel Foerst’s editorial that concluded that the appeals board is biased towards the San Luis Obispo County Assessor’s Office and would like to offer some facts for consideration.

The California State Board of Equalization oversees the property tax systems and publishes various reports, one being “A Report on Budget, Workloads, and Assessment Appeals.” The 2014 report (for the 2012-13 year) reveals the following facts for San Luis Obispo County:

151 appeals were withdrawn with no change.

238 appeals were withdrawn with their value reduced.

27 appeal filers were no shows.

6 appeals were invalid.

26 appeals were resolved by stipulation (value reduced before board hearing).

39 people had their assessment reduced at the board hearing.

38 appeals were sustained at the hearing (no reduction).

I don’t know what three days Mr. Foerst watched, but the facts presented do not support his conclusion.

The full report can be found here. The 2013-2014 report has not been published yet.

Tom J. Bordonaro, Jr. is the San Luis Obispo County Assessor.


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will Mr. Foerst weigh in before or after the egg on his face has dried?


I have long had a negative opinion of Mr. Bordonaro based on some of the things he did as a politician prior to becoming the County Assessor. I may have to rethink that.


Facts are important.


It’s too bad that opinions are often believed despite the facts.


Thanks for setting the record straight Mr Bordonaro.