A Chat With County Assessor Victor Hambrick

thinking more

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:13:26 +0100

Next Yavapai County, Effective Performance Appraisals, completed training. There is no link and not enough information for me to verify. I am uncertain if Mr. Hambrick is claiming that Yavapai County has provided classes and given training or if a professional organization has come to Yavapai county and given training – if a professional organization which one? Next: URISA, Integrating Geographic Information Systems with Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal – there is no link and not enough information for me to verify. I checked with URISA's web site and they appear to offer workshops on GIS so it appears Mr. Hambrick took a workshop on GIS. ESRI, completion of Introduction to ARC Info – there is no link and not enough information for me to verify. I checked with ESRI's website and they offer training programs for the products that they sell. Arizona Department of Revenue, Level 2 Certified Appraiser; I was able to verify this as this certificate is posted on Prescottenews web site 08/10/2008 “Hambrick Talks About Qualifications and Credentials” This demonstrates that Mr. Hambrick does indeed have this. Arizona Board of Appraisal, Licensed Real Estate Appraiser – Per the Arizona Board of Appraisals Mr. Hambrick is not a licensed appraiser. Per Prescottenews web site 08/10/2008 “Hambrick Talks About Qualifications and Credentials” his license is posted and indicates that it expired in 1995. Therefore Mr. Hambrick is not a “Licensed Real Estate Appraiser” as he claims to be. FAA licensed pilot for single, multi-engine, private/instrument aircraft; I was able to verify this through the FAA Airman Directory. In Summary: Mr. Hambrick is 1.Not a licensed Appraiser through the AZ Board of Appraisals 2.Not Certified in Assessment Administration with IAAO 3.Does not have certifications in: Hearing Procedures, Complex Commercial Valuation, Residential and Simple Commercial Valuation, Personal Property Valuation, Land Valuation 4.Does not have a certificate in Public Policy through the University of Arizona, Southwest 5.Does not have a GED in Arizona - Ted

Thinking

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:12:25 +0100

Dear Jannie, Here is what Mr. Hambrick list on his web site under education & certifications GED – there is no link – he was born in Casa Grande, AZ (Per Daily Courier; 08/06/2008 “Assessor incumbent, bio: Hambrick”). I have repeatedly asked Mr. Hambrick and Kathy Lopez (his campaign manager) for information on where Mr. Hambrick obtained his GED and have been ignored. I called the Department of Education in Arizona and they are unable to verify that Victor Hambrick obtained a GED in the state of Arizona. Second Mr. Hambrick list Ad-valorem appraiser for Arizona – there is no link; there is nothing to verify as this does not appear to be education or a certification. Third he list University of Arizona Southwest Leadership Program, certificate in public policy and management – there is no link; I called the University of Arizona and they don't have an accredited course with this title. Thus I am unable to verify this. It appears that he may have taken a seminar located on the Universities campus but it is doubtful that he has a “certificate in public policy” and more likely that he has a document acknowledging a course that he took in public policy. (The university told me that when they give you a certificate in something it is similar to a degree in it). He list International Association of Assessing Officers, Certification in Assessment Administration”; I called International Association of Assessing Officers at 816 701-8100 – they state that they do not have a professional designation titled “Certification in Assessment Administration” They have professional designations titled “Assessment Administration Specialists” and Certified Assessment Evaluator” and Mr. Hambrick does not have either of these professional designations from them. They do have a course called Assessment Administration which is one course on the path to a certification and he may have taken and passed this one class but he is not “certified” in Assessment Administration through them. Next he list Covey Leadership Center, Principled Centered Leadership, completed all 8 courses – there is no link. There is not enough information for me to verify this one way or the other. Next he list Arizona Department of Revenue Certifications: Hearing Procedures, Complex Commercial Valuation, Residential and Simple Commercial Valuation, Personal Property Valuation, Land Valuation – the documentation of the “satisfactory completion of the training courses” are listed on Prescottenews web site 08/10/2008 “Hambrick Talks About Qualifications and Credentials” these are “ not “certifications” as Mr. Hambrick claims they are (in appraising certifications and designations mean more than taking a class – it means that a Professional Board has provided courses, tested, recognized and endorsed your abilities in these fields). The posted documents prove he is not “certified” in these areas but merely has taken some classes in these areas. - Ted

Think before you write

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:35:59 +0100

You didn't try very hard. They are all listed with the link to the documents. I think you just do not understand how the certification process works. I recommend you learn before making unsubstantiated accusations. - Jannie

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Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:13:10 +0100

Dear Jannie, What I did was I went to his web site then tried to verify each thing that he listed. [edited] - Ted

You are not making sense

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:50:39 +0100

Ted & Lorraine- All candidate's websites only list qualifications. No site supplies all the certificates. No one can verify credentials by looking at a candidate's website. - Jannie

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Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:30:23 +0100

I went to his website and... Editor's note: This comment has been removed because it appears to make accusations that are unsubstantiated. However, it did raise an issue regarding Hambrick's certifications, which is addressed in the article, Hambrick Talks About Qualifications and Credentials. - Ted

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Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:37:36 +0100

Go to Victors website, and try and verify his qualifacations... Editor's note: The rest of this comment has been removed because it appears to make accusations that are unsubstantiated. However, it did raise an issue regarding Hambrick's certifications, which is addressed in the article, Hambrick Talks About Qualifications and Credentials. - Lorraine

Why Is It An Elected Position?

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:22:22 +0100

Usually, I don't respond to comments left on stories. But, I have the answer to your question here, because I also asked if he thought it was appropriate for this to be an elected position. And Hambrick replied, "I think it's appropriate for the Assessor to be an elected position. And that is understanding why it's elected. And the reason it is elected, is because you do not want, for example if you have a taxing authority, such as the Board of Supervisors being able to give direction to the Yavapai County Assessor to set values at a certain level because they need more money. And, so that's why it is elected, it's powers that balance each other out. It's part of what makes a democracy." Hambrick went on to say that in his opinion, "I think there should probably be some qualifications that are tied to be able to run to be assessor, that you would tie to any job of something that is as detailed and statute driven as this, to have an understanding of how it works. In other states, they appoint the assessor. I think that's ok, also, except I really think that brings it down to a good ol' boy system, and who knows who. I think it's great that it's elected, I think the dynamics have changed since we became a state in 1912, and we should probably attach some qualifications to it. But, then once again, if you do something like that, you're changing the [state] Constitution, and I'm not big on Constitutional amendments." - Lynne LaMaster

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Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:01:13 +0100

Sounds like a very complicated job. I'm not knocking him, but Id like to know why this is an elected position? It seems like it is mainly about following procedures and laws. In other words, it is implementing policy, not making policy. Again, not criticizing, I'd just like to know why it is elected and not appointed. - David P