Today, we face many challenges in our country and here in Colorado -
– from improving housing affordability and access to affordable healthcare, to protecting voting rights, responding to the certain effects of climate change, and access to safe Women’s healthcare given the devastating overturn of Roe vs Wade. There is an answer to our political challenges:
Let’s re-elect our Democratic incumbents and elect more Democrats who share these values at every level of government!
Support to Re-Elect Bob Overbeck to the Office of Larimer County Assessor
Inform Your Vote, Vote to the Bottom of the Ballot
“Immediately upon taking office I began looking for the right person to do an independent audit of the Larimer County Assessor’s office. I promised a common sense fiscally responsible solution to the systemic issues that had likely been a problem in the Assessors office for decades. The year prior to my election, the assessor’s office reported a 30% increase in appeals. What’s worse, many people reported that going to the Larimer County Assessor’s office to dispute a property value was like “going to a casino.” That makes sense. My former opponent and former assessor are both on record having said they give citizens a 50/50 chance of winning a property tax appeal.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE INDEPENDENT AUDIT CONDUCTED
IN 2018 BY THIMGAN AND ASSOCIATES
We can do better and we have during my first term, slashing appeals in half. This is an important public office, and you shouldn’t feel like you’re entering a casino when you go in for an appeal. What I didn’t like at the time was that the inaccuracies seen in property valuations disproportionately impacted our seniors or anyone on a fixed income. That is why an independent audit and analysis of this office was important.
To deliver on that I needed a non-biased analysis performed by industry professionals to give recommendations on what was needed to bring the office to the world class standard the owners in Larimer County want and deserve. The consultant I chose, Thimgan & Associates, an IAAO-approved analyst has over 30 years of experience helping offices like ours. Thimgan & Associates, headquartered in La Junta, Colorado, has been a consulting firm for jurisdictions across the country, and countries around the world, that utilize Real Property Mass Appraisal. Thimgan & Associates offers its expertise to audit Assessor’s offices, enhance modeling processes, train and mentor new employees.
Now you can rest assured, values are not based on the experience and opinions of an assessor or appraisers, they are based on models that are accurate and fair. By making the modifications necessary to modernize and build a sustainable system of modeling into our office and re-training employees, we have slashed appeals in half, saving the county money and property and business owners time and money. Ethically, I believe we are duty bound to be good stewards of the money we invest in innovations to improve our service to our customers in Larimer County. Putting a good system into place that decreases staff time and increases fairness, accuracy and decreased appeals makes good common sense and it was the right thing to do.”
With housing prices at all-time highs, it is more important than ever that we re-elect Bob Overbeck, our Larimer County Assessor, so that he can continue to ensure that our property values are fair and accurate.
A Letter from Bob Overbeck
Though the Assessor’s race is at the bottom of the ballot, it is one of the most critical positions in the county. We touch every home and every parcel. Data must be accurate and we must maintain continuity across future valuation cycles, particularly during a housing environment like today. For homeowners, inaccurate valuations might result in a higher mortgage payment, and for renters, a higher rent. That is why fair and accurate values are critical to our local economy. I understand the value of your money, and I have been proactive in seeking and implementing outstanding customer service, best practices in mass appraisal procedures, applications, and digital infrastructure.
In fact, working through the challenges of a global pandemic, we created innovative and collaborative processes to serve the public better. The International Association of Assessing Officers recognized my leadership, body of knowledge, and Larimer County for our best practices in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery following the Cameron Peak Fire and Black Hollow Flood. My collaborative effort with local, state, and federal authorities provided timely real-world solutions to disaster-related needs for the people of Larimer County and the government.
Did you know Assessors are on the front lines in dealing with the impacts of climate change? Assessors are responsible for collecting data, valuing, and reporting on properties impacted by wildfires and floods to help homeowners and businesses begin the recovery process. In Larimer County, our office spent hundreds of hours following the Cameron Peak Fire and the Black Hollow flood during my first term. While meeting ordinary statutory deadlines and during some of the most challenging times this office has ever seen, I worked to expand public access, launching an interactive value change map for property owners to see the values around them and provided accessibility options to residents across the county. We opened a Loveland location for appeals and now allow property owners to call in appeals to avoid commutes or perhaps difficult travel for those in vulnerable populations.
Vote for me, Bob Overbeck, your Larimer County Assessor, to enable me to continue my public service for Larimer County. Once re-elected, I will continue making improvements, ensuring that property valuations are done right the first time, no one pays more than their fair share of taxes, and the Assessor’s office upholds the fairness, transparency, and accuracy everyone deserves.
Bob Overbeck, Larimer County Assessor
Cell 970-368-2828
Email info@BobOverbeck.com
A Foundation in Financial Services
I held a membership on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a floor broker, managing an average of close to a billion dollars a day. I held a seat on the Chicago Board of Trade trading municipal and treasury bonds, later the Minneapolis Grain Exchange as a market maker in spring wheat. I understand markets, the economic cycle on a global level down to the dirt in Larimer County that the wheat and corn are planted in and everything in between.
Local Volunteer Efforts: After a successful career in financial services, I moved to Fort Collins and volunteered my time raising Guide Dogs for the Blind and informing the public through award winning news and public affairs programming on KRFC among other volunteer activities before running for City Council where I was elected for two terms.
City Council, Boards & Commissions
City Council members have a leadership role in instructing the moving parts in the city. These conversations involve higher-level conversations around our communities’ big-picture needs based on the current population, future growth and development, and kitchen table issues for families and individuals.
I have a long history with data-driven decisions in Northern Colorado. The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO) uses objectives-driven, performance-based processes to tackle the issues that matter most to us. One issue that most of us can relate to is traffic congestion, which impacts the mobility of people and goods in Northern Colorado, affecting our quality of life and commerce.
I have been a board member of the Pouder Heritage Alliance for nearly ten years which serves the mission of the Cache La Poudre National Heritage Area.
Having an Assessor with experience in government, leadership and giving back helps us! I have experience with and am dedicated to working for solutions collaboratively with each level of government and neighboring communities. My commitment to the Assessor’s office does not stop at county lines. I am committed to a collaborative approach with all government leaders to find common sense solutions in a fiscally responsible manner to the challenges facing the residents of Larimer County.
International Recognition for a job well done!
Since taking office as the Larimer County Assessor, the International Association of Assessing Officers has recognized Bob’s leadership and Larimer County for the best practices established for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery during the Cameron Peak Fire and Black Hollow Flood. The collaborative effort provided real-world solutions to disaster-related needs for the people of Larimer County and the government. He has changed Larimer County’s valuation process, completely modernizing the system, which has made the process sustainable, fair, accurate, and accessible, resulting in fewer appeals than we have seen in a decade in Larimer County in over a decade. There is still more to do! Leaders are change agents, and Bob will listen to you!
“I was very grateful to Bob Overbeck, the County Assessor. We always had to drive to Fort Collins in the past. During Covid, my husband and I struggled with health issues and still have trouble getting around. Having a Loveland location to do our business with the Assessor made the process easier on us, and the staff was very pleasant to work with.” ~ Loveland Resident
Innovation, Change, and Progress to Support Larimer County
Larimer County Department of Health & Environment (LCDHE) Director Tom Gonzales and the Larimer County Assessor Bob Overbeck collaborated to make an on-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) or “septic system” permit data available through the Assessor’s Office online property records database.
Other innovations include training damage assessment teams on how to record all data digitally, and use high-quality radio communication equipment in case of emergencies, so that emergency personnel can be used where they need to be instead of as escorts for damage assessment teams.
Larimer County Assessor Bob Overbeck initiated the unprecedented Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Arapahoe County to enhance emergency response. This Agreement benefits the counties of Larimer and Arapahoe, both being county offices that have statutory responsibility for property value assessments and damage assessments to structures following emergencies and disasters. This helps homeowners! View more info here: https://www.arapahoegov.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/12686?fileID=20440
Bob collaborated with State leaders to protect privacy for law enforcement and other protected public facing workers.
What does the Office of the Assessor do?
You should know...
Bob spearheaded changes to Larimer County’s valuation process, completely modernizing the system, making the process sustainable, fair, and accurate, resulting in fewer appeals than we have seen in a decade in Larimer County, slashing the number of appeals in half compared to the previous Republican administration. It is worth noting that Bob made the changes in the middle of a pandemic, wildfires and floods. Still, there is more work left to do!