Welcome! I'm Dale Washam, the hired/elected Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer. I would like to take this opportunity to inform my employers, you the taxpayers of Pierce County, as to what my policies will be while serving you as your Assessor-Treasurer. I want you to know, you will always be treated as an important person when you enter the Assessor-Treasurer's Office. I believe it is my job to make sure you receive the very best service possible that meets all of your needs and answers all of your questions honestly.
You will never be an interruption to me or my co-workers in the Assessor-Treasurer's Office. You will never be an outsider in our work in the Assessor-Treasurer's Office; you are the reason for it. You will not be treated as a statistic, but rather as a human being with feelings and emotions. I'm very aware of the difficult economic times at hand, therefore, as your employee, I promise I will do everything within the law and within my power as your Assessor-Treasurer to benefit you, the taxpayer. The Assessor-Treasurer's Office is really your office - we are here to serve you.
By law, all we do at the Assessor-Treasurer's Office is administer tax law and value all property subject to taxes as mandated by the Washington State Legislature. Your actual assessed value is determined by comparable sales - comparing your property with like property that has sold in your area. The only way that law can be changed is by the Washington State Legislature enacting a new law to do so. Until such a time, this office has to follow the law as it is written.
