RITZVILLE — Veronica Rodriguez and Curtis Templin are running for the office of Adams County Assessor. Each candidate was asked the same questions by the Columbia Basin Herald, and their answers are below. 

What prompted you to run for assessor?

Rodriguez: I have been part of the assessor’s office since 2015, when I began as the administrative assistant. Over the years, I worked in different areas of the office, gaining firsthand experience and a thorough understanding of its responsibilities and the many programs we administer.

When the prior assessor retired, I applied to fill the vacant position. I was selected for the appointment, and that opportunity allowed me to put my years of experience and knowledge of the office to work in a leadership role. I have continued serving as assessor and I am proud of the work we have accomplished.

I believe the assessor should understand the office as a whole – not simply one area or program. Every part of the office is connected, and having a broad understanding of its operations is essential to making informed decisions, maintaining consistency, and providing dependable service to our community.

I am running for another term because I remain committed to making the assessor’s office more efficient, improving customer service, and embracing technology and better ways of doing business. There is still more work to do, and I want to continue building on the progress we have made while putting my experience, knowledge, and dedication to work for our community and the taxpayers we serve.

Templin: Joining the Adams County Assessor’s Office after working in healthcare, agriculture, and customer service, I was drawn initially by the stability and benefits it provided. What began as a practical decision has become a calling! Through the work of property assessment, I came to see how the assessor’s office touches nearly everything: the stability of housing, the funding of schools and essential services, the fairness of how costs are shared across the community. I absolutely love my job and the opportunities it provides me to serve my community.

In the last few years, I have been approached by many taxpayers in Adams County and urged to run for assessor. After deliberation with my family, friends, and neighbors I decided that the greatest thing that I could do for the citizens of Adams County is to run for Adams County Assessor.

The citizens of Adams County deserve better than what they have been getting. I believe that I am the right person to change the dynamics of the office and give the people the service they deserve and an Assessor’s Office that they can appreciate.

What does it take to do the job well? It’s a pretty technical position.

Templin: The job of an assessor requires many components. It requires a combination of customer service, technical skills/expertise, analytical skills, legal knowledge, certification/education, and ethical integrity among others. This ensures that assessments are both accurate and trusted.

Customer service should be integral in any public office. The assessor serves the people of the county. This requires good communication and interpersonal skills as they meet to answer questions and address concerns. Showing fairness, transparency and objectivity, remaining impartial and applying the same standards to everyone to avoid bias. Having accountability, from clear documentation to defending valuations and decisions. Having attention to detail and accuracy, as small errors could have significant financial or legal consequences. They must verify information and maintain accurate assessment rolls and show good problem-solving and judgment

Apply technical and analytical skills in mass appraisal models to understand and evaluate market data and other relevant information.

Knowledge of Washington state and local statutes, administrative codes, and procedural rules to ensure compliance and that decisions are legally sound and defensible.

Professional certifications and education keep skills current with changing laws, market conditions, and technology.

Ethical integrity by applying fairness, transparency, legal compliance, and objectivity in all evaluation activities.

Rodriguez: Being an assessor is a technical position that requires much more than determining property values. It takes a thorough understanding of Washington state laws, appraisal methods, exemptions, property classifications, and the many programs administered through the assessor’s office. Accuracy, consistency, attention to detail, and staying current with changing laws and technology are essential.

Just as important is understanding how the entire office operates. Every program plays a role, and decisions made in one area can affect another. My experience working in different areas of the Assessor’s Office has given me an understanding of how these responsibilities connect and the importance of ensuring they are handled correctly and efficiently.

The position also requires strong leadership, sound judgment, and accountability. Taxpayers deserve an assessor who is knowledgeable, approachable, and willing to research difficult questions, explain decisions, and ensure property assessments are fair, accurate, and consistent with state law.

Ultimately, doing this job well takes a combination of technical knowledge, practical experience, and a commitment to serving taxpayers with professionalism and integrity.

What is the best way to maintain, or improve, efficient operation?

Rodriguez: The best way to maintain and improve efficient operations is to have a thorough understanding of the laws governing the assessor’s office and ensure they are implemented correctly. This is a highly technical and regulated position, and staying current with changes in state law is essential.

When new laws take effect, the assessor must understand how those changes apply to the office, develop a plan for implementation, and ensure staff have the knowledge and resources necessary to carry them out. This requires continuing education, attention to detail, effective communication, and an understanding of how all areas of the office work together.

Our responsibilities can also extend beyond our own county because we participate in joint districts. This makes consistent communication, coordination, and accurate implementation of requirements especially important.

I believe efficient operations come from maintaining knowledgeable staff, establishing clear processes, embracing technology, and continually evaluating how work can be done more effectively. Efficiency is not just about getting things done faster; it is about getting them done correctly, meeting legal requirements, and providing reliable service to taxpayers.

My experience in the assessor’s office has given me an understanding of these responsibilities and how important they are to the county as a whole. I will continue working to improve processes, support staff, and ensure the office operates accurately, consistently, and efficiently.

Templin: Customer service, teamwork, training, education, and technology are going to be vital to maintain, improve, and have efficient operation of the Assessor’s Office.

First and foremost, I want to emphasize that people are going to continue to be the most vital component of the Assessor’s Office. People are going to provide the customer service that you expect from a team of highly trained and dedicated staff.

Modernizing the assessor’s office through a combination of automation, advanced data tools, and streamlined workflows will significantly improve accuracy, speed, transparency, and ultimately public trust.

We need to continue investigating and use AI-driven valuation models to help detect trends and microtrends in property markets, to refine valuation adjustments, and to improve forecast and valuation accuracy. It may also be possible to automate some administration tasks so that we can free up staff time to improve direct engagement with property owners and stakeholders in the county. Empowering staff with the tools necessary to complete their jobs quickly and efficiently.

I know that AI and technology can automate many tasks, but it cannot fully replicate human judgment, empathy, creativity, and contextual understanding – skills that remain essential in complex, unpredictable situations faced by the assessor’s office.