Lower Property Taxes
John believes our current system of property valuation is broken – it artificially inflates values without consideration of what's actually happening with your home or other real estate. John knows we need someone with private-sector experience in valuing real estate and determining fair market values to run the Assessor's Office. John has this experience and will use his industry knowledge to ensure Oklahoma County taxpayers receive a fair deal. 

 

Assessment Reform

John believes there is more to running an agency than just the top-line numbers – a job done poorly, even if efficient, is still poorly done. We need real change. John's private-sector experience provides him with the understanding and background to deliver the vision and leadership needed to implement reforms and modernize the Assessor's Office's operations. 

 

Accountability

As a small businessman, John knows the buck stops with him. He will bring that same level of accountability and accessibility to the Assessor's Office. Making decisions with a taxpayer-centered worldview that puts fairness and respect front and center will be his focus.

Residents should not have to navigate a bureaucratic mess of red tape and endless forms to try to correct issues with their assessments. John realizes that when a taxpayer walks into the Assessor's Office, they aren't a customer; they are the boss. As County Assessor, John will ensure that every taxpayer gets treated fairly and professionally.  

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Transparent Government

John Gibbons believes that sunlight is the best disinfectant. By bringing new levels of transparency to budgeting and spending, John knows this information will increase participation in our county government. 
 

One need only look at recent headlines surrounding the Budget Board to see that there is a lack of transparency with the other County Offices and the taxpayers. John pledges that, if elected, he will post his budget request and expenditure reports online for public inspection. He will readily meet with any taxpayer who reaches out to his Office with questions about the Assessor's Office's operations.

 

Broken Trust

Trust in our county government is at an all-time low. If elected as your County Assessor, John will work with the other elected County officials to establish trust and foster relationships built on respect, placing the best interest of the taxpayer, not the government, first and foremost. 

 

Core Services

As a real estate professional, John knows that higher tax rates do not drive the affordability challenges facing Oklahoma County families; rather, it is the escalating annual property assessment increases that price families out of their homes.

Efforts by the Legislature to rein in out-of-control property taxes by capping assessment increases are a one-size-fits-all approach to addressing problems caused by our broken assessment system. 

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We can properly fund our schools, roads, and public safety through fair and honest evaluations, rather than automated systems that bring ever-increasing property tax bills to our most vulnerable residents.