Assessor in Page County, Iowa has the primary duty and responsibility to cause to be assessed all real property within their jurisdiction.

The Assessor’s Duties
The Assessor is charged with several administrative and statutory duties; however, the primary duty and responsibility is to cause to be assessed all real property within the jurisdiction except that which is otherwise provided by law. This would include residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural classes of property. Real property is revalued every two years. The effective date of the assessment is January First of the current year. The assessor determines a full or partial value of new construction, or improvements depending upon the state of completion as of January First.

Misconceptions About the Assessor's Role
The Assessor does not:
Collect taxes
Calculate taxes
Determine tax rate
Set policy for the Board of Review

The Assessor is concerned with value, not taxes.
The assessor’s office has nothing to do with the total amount of taxes collected. The assessor’s primary responsibility is to find the fair market value of your property, so that you pay only your fair share of the taxes. Taxing jurisdictions such as schools, cities and townships adopt budgets after public hearings. This determines the tax levy, which is the rate of taxation required to raise the money budgeted. The taxes you pay are proportional to the value of your property compared to the total value of property in your taxing district.

General Information About the Assessor
Assessors are appointed to their position by a Conference Board consisting of the members of the Board of Supervisors, the Mayors of all incorporated cities, and a member from each school district within the jurisdiction. A city with a population of ten thousand or more may elect to have their own assessor.

Assessors are required by statute to pass a state examination and complete a Continuing Education Program consisting of 150 hours of formal classroom instruction with 90 hours tested and a passing grade of 70% attained. The latter requirement must be met in order for the Assessor to be reappointed to the position every six years.

The Deputy Assessor also must pass a state examination as well as successfully complete 90 hours of classroom instruction of which at least 60 hours are tested.

The Conference Board approves the Assessor's budget and after a public hearing acts on adoption of same. The Assessor is constrained by statute to a levy limitation for the budget. The limit depends on the value of the jurisdiction.

Important Dates
January 1 - Effective date of current assessment

April 16 thru May 5 - Protest of assessment period for filing with Board of Review

May 1 thru Adjournment - Board of Review meets each year

July 1 - Signup deadline Homestead Tax Credit & Military Exemption

November 1 - Signup deadline for Family Farm Tax Credit

October 16 thru October 25 - Protest period for filing with Board of Review on properties affected by changes in value as a result of the Director of Revenue’s Equalization Orders (odd numbered years only.)