NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans mayoral race headlines the February 2010 ballot, but political analysts say the winner of the newly created citywide tax assessor position will step into a new level of power.
The city is abandoning the old seven assessors model.
"Electing just one assessor creates a huge concentration of power, probably second only to the mayor in terms of a single citywide position with a lot of power," said Eyewitness News Political Analyst Clancy DuBos.
It's a reform move, DuBos says -- one that brings Orleans in line with the state's other 63 parishes. But the new assessor will face an immediate challenge.
"That one person will have a lot of pressure to get the assessment uniform citywide, and accurate citywide," DuBos said.
Analyst Dr. Silas Lee said it's a task that could help plug some of the city's budget gaps.
"It's a very important race, and quite often, when people think of assessments, they only think about their property taxes, but the survival of this community is dependent upon a steady revenue base," Lee said.
DuBos agrees.
"There's no doubt that if all property was on the rolls at a uniform level, at the actual fair market value, which is a moving target -- property tax collections would go up, and that would give the city a shot in the arm fiscally," he said.
But analysts warn, it all falls on the backs of taxpayers. Jefferson Parish Assessor Lawrence Chehardy knows first hand just how tough the balancing act can be. Chehardy said it all adds up to a stern test for the winner of the Orleans position.
"It's a huge job. It comes with a lot of responsibility," he said. "It's critical to have a good staff. It is very important that that staff be well trained, they know what the job is, they understand the job, and that they are able to work with and talk to people."
Chehardy points out, the assessor must make decisions based on the market. Last week, Mayor Ray Nagin mentioned slumping property tax revenues in his budget presentation, saying they haven't reached pre-Katrina levels. But Chehardy said local governments should never rely too heavily on property taxes.
"You're going to create other problems, and those problems are going to be depressed property values and the inability of people to pay their tax bill," he said.
Analysts expect to see several candidates join the Orleans assessor race. The three-day qualifying period begins Dec. 9.
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