STAY UPDATED WITH MY CAMPAIGN
Hi. I’m Scot Kersgaard, your Jefferson County Assessor.
It has been an honor to serve as Jefferson County Assessor since January, 2019.
By almost any measure, the office is doing better than when I arrived. The number of people who appeal their valuation has gone from about 5% under the prior administration to around 3% today. This is a clear indication that property owners have more confidence in our work than ever before.
The website, assessor.jeffco.us, was among the worst in the state when I arrived in 2019. Today it is among the best. It is both more functional and more informative.
The office actually spent less in 2021 than it spent in 2018, the year before I began work here. This is in spite of inflation, annual raises to staff, more money spent on staff training and education and increased spending for better technology. Not only that but the office only sends notices of value (NOVs) in odd-numbered years. So, in the 2021 we prepared, printed and mailed more than 225,000 NOVs and still spent less than was spent in 2018, which is an off-year for NOVs.
In the three years I have been here, the office has returned more than $593,000 to the Jefferson County general fund–money we were budgeted for, but did not spend. I believe that the relationship between taxpayer (you and me) and tax spender (government) is almost sacred. People generally don’t mind paying taxes but they want to know the money is being spent carefully and thoughtfully.
I am running for re-election to continue my work in the following areas:
- Fair and accurate assessments
- Transparency
- Commitment to the best technology
- Functionality, usability and usefulness of the Jefferson County Assessor’s website
- Annual report to the community
- Improved staff training and education
- Conservative budget management
As Jefferson County Assessor, I ensure that properties are valued fairly and accurately.
Contributions & Donations
“I’m supporting Scot for County Assessor because his commitment to public service, transparency, communication, and accountability will make him a great assessor for Jefferson County.”
~ Ed Perlmutter
Who Am I?
- Jefferson County Assessor since January 2019
- Jeffco resident and real estate agent since 2004
- Colorado resident since 1987
- Consultant to many government agencies and Fortune 500 companies
- Former co-owner of a profitable newspaper and television station
- Married to attorney Lois Witte since 1991
- Parent of two grown children
Why Me?
- Long-time real estate agent
- Manager of public relations for Fortune 400 high-tech firm
- Deputy press secretary to a U.S. Senator
- Former co-owner of a newspaper and television station
- Consultant to many government agencies and large businesses
- Commitment to transparency
- Fair and accurate assessments
- Customer-centric
I am committed to 100% transparency so that county residents can easily learn exactly how assessed values are determined, and exactly where all their tax dollars go.
My Commitment
Thoughts from Scot
Who Am I?
I was born in Eugene, Oregon in 1957. I visited Colorado on a family road trip in the early 1970s and knew I would someday live here. I graduated from the University of Washington in 1983. During college, I served as student body president, wrote for the college paper, and was involved in many political causes. I moved to Sun Valley, Idaho for a job as a newspaper reporter. I was quickly named editor, then joined with two other employees to buy the paper, which had been losing $100,000 a year. We turned a profit in our first month and [...]
Why I am Running for County Assessor
It took me nearly a year from the time I started thinking about running for assessor until the time I filed. It was a year of research. I spent countless hours on the Jefferson County Assessor’s website. I spent time on every County Assessor’s website in Colorado. I interviewed assessors, just picking their brains on what it means to be the best possible assessor. I drove across the state to meet twice with one particular assessor who spent hours walking me through the ins and outs of the job. I joined the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), and began poring over their website, their magazine, and their reference [...]
Can the County Assessor Lower Your Taxes?
When I introduce myself to people as a candidate for Jefferson County Assessor, I can count on the same question from almost everyone: What does the assessor do? One thing the assessor doesn’t do is set your taxes. The assessor cannot raise or lower anyone’s taxes. Taxes are set by the taxing entities themselves—the government agencies that provide services in exchange for tax dollars. In Jefferson County there are more than 200 taxing entities. Most people only pay taxes to a half dozen or so: Jefferson County itself, the school district, the city the property is in (if it is in a city), the library [...]