September 21st, 2009 - 1:40 PM

Today in letters to each, I asked Governor Christine Gregoire, State Attorney General Rob McKenna, State Auditor Brian Sonntag, State Treasurer James McIntire and Department of Revenue Director Cindi Holmstrom for help to get an official investigation by the proper authority into the falsification of the Assessor-Treasurer's office official Real Property Records and official Assessor-Treasurer's office reports during the years 2001 through 2008. The investigation is needed, so that the Rule of Law may be preserved.

Investigative Report (219 KB)

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September 11th, 2009 - 11:00 AM

On 9-9-2009 this office requested information from the Public Employment Relations Commission regarding a labor complaint against this office and was emailed a copy of a DEFICIENCY NOTICE regarding that labor complaint. As your employee, I am sharing that DEFICIENCY NOTICE with you my employer.

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September 2nd, 2009 - 2:50 PM

I just finished an Investigative Report which is an official report from Dale Washam, Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer, to the taxpayers of Pierce County. This Investigative Report is about the discovery and subsequent investigation of hundreds of thousands of instances of falsified entries regarding physical inspections into the official Pierce County Real Property records in the Assessor-Treasurer's office, as well as falsified reports regarding physical inspections that were submitted from the Assessor-Treasurer's office to the State Department of Revenue, and in addition, falsified documents regarding physical inspections submitted to Pierce County authorities for budgetary purposes. All the above took place during the years 2001 through 2008. Please read the Investigative Report...

Investigative Report (219 KB)
Exhibit 1 (2.8 MB)
Exhibit 2 (13.4 MB)

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August 24th, 2009 - 11:10 AM

On April 16, 2009, I posted a notice of an EEO complaint against me. For over five months, I have never been told what the EEO complaint allegations were, nor was I told the name of the person who made the EEO complaint. The first time I found out about both, was on August 19, 2009, when I received a copy of an EEO Investigative Report dated August 7, 2009 from Betsy Sawyers, the Pierce County Human Resource Director.

On April 16, 2009, I stated that I believed the said EEO complaint against me was bogus. I now believe that the said EEO Investigative Report is verification that I was right. Therefore, so that my employers, the taxpayers, can determine for themselves, I am posting a copy in its entirety of the purported EEO Investigative Report and the accompanying memo from Betsy Sawyers.

You the taxpayers are my employer- please email me at my office regarding any questions you have. (dwasham@co.pierce.wa.us)

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June 26th, 2009

ABOUT YOUR NOTICE OF ASSESSED VALUE

Notices of 2009 assessed values will be mailed to all Pierce County taxpayers by mid-July. Mobile/Manufactured home owners will receive their notices first during the last week of June. All other notices, except business personal property, will be received starting July 18. Those properties with new construction or remodels, along with properties that need further adjustment due to administrative processes, will receive a supplemental notice after August 30th. Assessed values of 2009 for all real properties and mobile/manufactured homes are now posted on our website.

Your notice of value is meant to inform you of our office's estimate of your 2009 assessed value for taxes due in 2010. According to Washington State law, specifically RCW 84.40.020 and 84.40.030, Assessor's must value all property at 100% of its true and fair value, as of January 1 of the assessment year. To do so, we have to use sales that took place in 2008 to arrive at your 2009 value. That means it is likely that the value you see on your card may not be indicative of today's market. It is a fact that assessed values lag behind the real estate market because we must estimate the value of the property as of that January 1 date. Changes that occur in the real estate market from January 1st, 2009 through December 31st, 2009 will be reflected in the January 1st, 2010 assessments that will be used to calculate property taxes payable in 2011. The taxes are calculated by multiplying the value times the tax rate (& divide by 1,000). The voters are the ones who determine what levies or bonds are passed and that is how the tax rate comes about.

In the years when market values were trending upward, the same methodology was adhered to. Assessments in those years could not keep pace with market increases. We want you to know this office is aware of the difficult economic realities that confront us all today and we will earnestly extend every possible consideration to taxpayers that the law allows.

As a service to taxpayers, value notices are being sent to all property owners, whether or not there has been a change in value. Please take the time to look at your notice when you receive it, this is the value that will be used to calculate your 2010 taxes. You will have 60 days from the date of the notice mailing to appeal the value, if you choose to do so. Instructions for filing a property tax appeal are on the back of the notice. We encourage you call our office, toll free 1-800-992-2456 or locally 798-6111, to clarify any questions you might have regarding your value change or the assessment process before you consider filing an appeal.

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May 7th, 2009

The Pierce County Code (3.12.010) states that the County Council ''...recognizes the need for integrity in government and recognizes that the people of Pierce County consider governmental service to be a public trust.'' I agree with that premise.

I believe it becomes the responsibility of the citizens and every public official to ensure this integrity is preserved and respected in all government offices.

With this responsibility in mind and because of the trust you have placed in me, I sent this document to the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney on 5/5/2009, requesting an investigation be made into alleged falsification of the Assessor-Treasurer's office records and County Revaluation Progress Reports regarding physical inspections for the years 2001 through 2008.

As your Assessor-Treasurer, I have no control over what actions, if any, county authorities take from here. However, I believe I have done my duty as your Assessor-Treasurer in requesting that the above investigation be done.

I want you to know I have implemented an expedited plan of action that will allow the Assessor-Treasurer's office to meet its ongoing property inspections obligation. I will continue to work honestly and diligently on your behalf.

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On April 3, 2009, I received a reply from the State Attorney General's office that states ''Because this appears to involve matters of local concern, appropriate legal guidance should be sought from the Office of the Pierce County Prosecutor.''

On April 9, 2009, I received a reply from the State Auditor's office that states ''We have contacted the state Department of Revenue officials, who told us they are aware of the issue. They said the Department is working with your office and the Pierce County internal auditor to bring the County into compliance with state law. Therefore, we will not be opening an investigation into this matter.''

On April 6, 2009, I received a notice from the Human Resource Director that an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Discrimination Complaint had been filed against me by an un-named person. Said notice states ''Please be advised that the Human Resources Department has retained a contracted investigator, ... , to conduct this investigation. Please also be advised that it is County practice that the Department in which the complaint arose bears the entire cost of the investigation. Typically, an EEO investigation will cost approximately $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the complexity and length of the investigation.''

Human Resources, a County Department appears to have the authority to commence an EEO investigation against an elected official costing the taxpayer ''approximately $15,000 to $30,000'' on an un-named person's bogus complaint.

While a state agency seems to have very little authority to investigate wrong doing against the taxpayers.

You the taxpayers are my employer - please email me at my office and give me your thoughts on the above. (dwasham@co.pierce.wa.us)

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