The Municipal League of King County

810 Third Avenue, Suite 224

Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 264-1070 cec@munileague.org

2007 Board of Trustees

Bruce Carter, Chair
Judge Pro Tem, Seattle Municipal Court

Robert Klein, Vice-Chair
Short Cressman & Burgess PLLC

Norma Jean Hanson, Secretary
Norma Jean Hanson Paralegal Services

Sandra Driscoll, Treasurer
City Attorney (ret.)

 

Angela Avery, Community Volunteer

Dan Berger, Municipal Attorney

Jill D. Bowman, Stoel Rives LLP

Bill Breitenstein, Financial Executive (ret.)

David Brentlinger, Weyerhaeuser Realty Investors

Steve Call, Cascade Water Alliance

Mary Gates, Consultant

Albert Israel, Mass Mutual Financial Group

Rachel Jackson, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Chris Johnson, Office of the Attorney General, WA State

Mark Koenig, Consultant

Rick Lewis, Intel

Steve Marshall

Eric B. Martin, Davis Wright Tremaine

Bradley Meacham, Microsoft

Dan McDonald, MWH Americas

Kristen Peterson, Washington State Hospital Association

Kathy Putt, Comcast

Ramsey Ramerman, Foster Pepper

R. Todd Slind, CH2MHill

Will Smith, T-Mobile

John Spady, Dick’s Drive-In

Lucy Steers

Gary Strannigan, Safeco

Harold Taniguchi, King County Department of Transportation

Michael Teter, Perkins Coie, LLP

Wes Uhlman, Wes Uhlman & Associates

Jason Van Nort, Puget Sound Energy

Jen Watkins

Rodney G. Wendt, Koegen Edwards LLP

Rich White, Boeing

Nick Williamson, Encrypted Key Technologies

 

2007 CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR NON-JUDICIAL CANDIDATES

The Municipal League of King County requests every candidate who participates in the candidate evaluation process to submit background information prior to his/her interview with a candidate evaluation committee.  The questionnaire is the basis of the League’s research and interview process.  The League’s ratings are non-partisan; they are based on standards of Involvement, Effectiveness, Character, and Knowledge, all of which have been developed and refined over the past 90 years.

 

A printed version of the questionnaire is available for candidates who prefer to use the traditional format.  To obtain a hard copy, please contact the League office.  A copy of this questionnaire will be provided to Candidate Evaluation Committee members to help them prepare for your interview.  Candidate responses, except the confidential section, will be available to the general public at the League website. 

 

The Municipal League requests the following materials from candidates.  Please check to make certain you have sent in your:

 

   Candidate Questionnaire

           Sent by:       Email             US Mail           Fax            Not Sending

   Resume (education, employment, and professional activities)

           Sent by:       Email             US Mail           Fax            Not Sending

             Check here if you DO NOT want your resume posted on the Municipal

                League website

   Campaign Materials

           Sent by:       Email             US Mail           Fax            Not Sending

   Constituent Newsletters and other publications

           Sent by:       Email             US Mail           Fax            Not Sending

   Photograph

           Sent by:       Email             US Mail           Fax            Not Sending

 

Note: Electronically submitted questionnaires are strongly preferred. All materials can be emailed to cec@munileague.org.  They can be processed and made available on-line far more rapidly than handwritten or typed submissions.

 

For non-electronic submissions, please print clearly and legibly and return the application as soon as possible in order to allow the committee the greatest amount of time to prepare a complete report on your skills and experience.

We request that you return the Candidate Questionnaire

by June 15, 2007

 

If you have not yet been contacted to schedule an interview, or if you have questions about the candidate evaluation program, please contact the League office at 206-264-1070.

 

If you have a disability and require accommodation to participate in the candidate evaluation process, please contact the CEC Coordinator at the League office.

 


2007 Candidate Questionnaire

 

SECTION I               

 

BASIC CANDIDATE INFORMATION

 

1.      Name as it will appear on the ballot

 

First Name

Middle Initial or Nick Name

Last Name

Scott

     

Noble

 

2.   Office sought (include office, jurisdiction, position/district number):

 

King County Assessor

 

3.   Are you the incumbent?                  Yes              No

 

 

4.   How long have you resided in this district/city?

 

51 years

 

5.   How long have you resided in King County?

 

51 years

 

6.   Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan?         Partisan      Nonpartisan         

                                                                                                                       

7.   If partisan, please indicate party:  Democrat

 

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

 

 

Campaign Name:

 

Scott Noble for Assessor

 

Address:

 

2700 Fourth Avenue, #301

 

City/State/Zip:

 

Seattle, WA 98121-1244

 

Campaign Phone:

 

206-285-0983

 

 

Campaign Fax:

 

     

 

 

Campaign E-mail:

 

scottnobleforassessor@hotmail.com

 

 

Campaign Website:

 

www.scottnoble.org

 

 

POLITICAL BACKGROUND

 

1.   Beginning with the most recent position, please list public offices which you have held.  Include positions on appointive Boards or Commissions.

 

Public Office

Elective or Appointive?

Dates Held

Leadership Role (if any)

King County Assessor

 

Elective

 

Nov 92-present

 

Executive Level Position

 

Washington State Association of County Assessors

 

Elective

 

June 2006-present

 

President

 

Gates Commission

 

Appointive

 

2001-2003

 

Assessor member, Advisory Group

 

 

2.   If you ran for public office but were not elected, please list those races below:

 

Office Title

Year of Run

King County Assessor

 

1991

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 


 


SECTION III

 

In this section, we are seeking responses that reflect the four ratings criteria: involvement, effectiveness, character, and knowledge.  These are defined as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.      In a page or less, why are you running for this office?  (Note: the interview committee will be given a copy of this statement before your interview; at the beginning of your interview you will have the opportunity to expand on this statement in any way you wish.)

 

As Assessor I will continue to build upon the department's success in creating a FAIR, PROFESSIONAL and ACCOUNTABLE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. Our international recognition-earning the 1999 Distinguished Assessment Jurisdiction Award for North America and the 2002 Distinguished International Research and Development Award-have been further enhanced by integrating, utilizing a national grant award,  the Geographic Information System and sales comparables into our internet database. During my term as King County Assessor many successful reforms have been introduced that have served the taxpayers of King County by providing fuller access to more data and in a more timely manner.  My leadership on property tax system issues will continue as a taxpayer advocate and by operating an open office. I will ensure that the King County Department of Assessments is as transparent as possible, providing citizens with all information possible.

 


 

2.      Describe your most important personal characteristics or traits as they relate to the office you seek.

 

Proven leadership and managerial experience in demanding executive positions (Navy and civilian) have enhanced my public service performance. I am committed to leadership through integrity, accountability and honesty.

 

 The ethical pillars of fairness and courage guide me in the tough decision making process required to uphold my oath of office. I led the opposition to and challenge of two popularly approved ballot measures at the Washington State Supreme Court. The unanimous ruling in each case rejected measures as unfair and unconstitutional, saving homeowners, senior citizens and small business from $200 million annually in unfair tax shifts/increases.

 

I am competent with "big picture" judgement, implementing standards and making more information available to the public, including my personal initiative on governance structure fragmentation issues.

 

I am candid with a historical perspective, continuing to advocate improvements to our taxation policies during my long tenure as the Assessors Association Legislative Chair and President as well as during my time as member of the Gates Commission Advisory Group.

 

I am open and honest, providing unprecedented public access to comprehensive information pertaining to the assessment practices of the King County Department of Assessments. This has contributed to better informed decision making.

 

 

 

3.      Please describe in sufficient detail, one to three accomplishments or contributions of which you are most proud.  These examples should illustrate effective skills and capabilities you think apply to the office you are seeking.  These accomplishments may have occurred at any time in your personal, professional, or public life. 

 

1. Upholding my oath of office. I made the tough decisions to lead the opposition and subsequently challenge two popularly approved ballot measures (the Ref 47 value averaging provision and Tim Eyman's I-722). A two year effort in each case, these measures were ultimately unanimously rejected as unfair and unconstitutional, thus preventing $200 million in annual tax shifts/increases to homeowners, senior citizens and and small business. My decisions, though unpopular and prompting political retribution, proved to be the right thing to do.

 

2. Achieving recognition of having the best staff/department. After many years of hard work coupled with technology innovations, the King County Assessor's Office was internationally recognized as the best in the business of fairness and equity-earning the 1999 Distinguished Assessment Jurisdiction Award for North America, and the 2002 Distinguished International Research and Development Award from the International Association of Assessing Officers. The awards represent the highest recognition level possible of King County as "a model assessment system", contributing greatly to equity in property taxation. I am proud of my department and the men and women who work so hard to garner the respect and recognition they merit.

 

3. Successful humanitarian operation. During my active duty recall in support of Operation Desert Storm I was designated Commander of the stateside repatriation operation related to the emergency evacuation of the Philippine Islands. Responsible for planning, implementation and execution of the operation, I coordinated the safe evacuation of over 20,000 people in 10 days. Decorated for my performance, the experience was the most gratifying and rewarding of my personal life.


 

4.      Please list or describe your current and past activities in the community in which you have acquired skills that relate to the office you seek.  Include your role in the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved.  Involvement consists of many areas such as family, neighborhood, community, employment, or public life.

 

King County Assessor, 1992-present;

 

 President, Washington State Association of County Assessors, June 2006-present; Chair, Washington State Association of County Assessors Legislative Committee, 1997-2006;

 

Member, Advisory Group, Gates Commission, 2001-2003;

 

 U. S. Naval Officer, Vietnam Veteran, Desert Storm support, Retired Captain USNR, 1968-1998;

 

Chair, United Way of King County Charitable Campaign, 1996, Department Chair 1992-presesnt;

 

Member, Municpal League of King County;

 

Member, UW Alumni Association;

 

Member, Seattle Art Museum;

 

Member, Reserve Officers Association; Military Officers Association of America; Naval Reserve Association, 1992-present; Navy League; American Legion; Life Member, Tin Can Sailors Association.

 

 

 

  1. Please describe the duties of the office you seek.  Which are the most important duties and why?

 

Appraise more than 650,000 (and growing by approximately 10,000 properties per year) properties annually for tax purposes. Fairly and equitably distribute property taxes set by taxing districts and as approved by voters. Determine at least 277 different total property tax rates per thousand dollars of assessed value for 654 tax code areas (each code being a distinct combination of taxing districts) of 166 separate taxing districts in King County. The primary duty (mission) of the Assessor's Office is "serving the citizens of King County by providing fair, equitable and understandable property valuations, forming the basis for funding public services."  In this regard, noteworthy is a statement made in a 2002 King County performance audit in which it was said that we do "such a good job overall in meeting standards" we should tell more people about it.


EDUCATION BACKGROUND SUMMARY

FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT

 

The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report is distributed to voters in print and/or on our website.  It includes a summary of the candidate’s education.  Please summarize your education in 120 characters (letters, punctuation, and space all combined).  The League will delete material that exceeds the space limit by beginning with the last entry.  Suggested order is (degree) (subject) (school) (year, if desired). 

 

Note: If this question is left blank the League will not include education information in your candidate profile.

 

B.A., Business Administration, University of Washinton;

Diploma, Queen Anne High School, Seattle

 

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY

FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT

 

The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report also includes a summary of each candidate’s civic involvement.  Please summarize your civic involvement in the space below.  We will make every attempt to include the information in the Candidate Evaluation Report as submitted.  Due to space restrictions in the Report, your response is limited to 500 characters (letters, punctuation, and spaces all combined).  It is important that you list your involvement beginning with the most important and ending with the least important.  If you exceed the length of response permitted, or if the League should find it necessary to shorten responses for publication purposes, deletions will be made beginning with the last item listed. 

 

Note: This information will appear verbatim on the League’s Candidate Evaluation Report.  If this question is left blank, the Municipal League will not include information on your civic involvement in the Report.

 

  Check here if you would like the Municipal League to copy the first 500 characters from Question 4 to paste into this section.

 

King County Assessor, 1992-present; President, Washington State Assn of County Assessors; Member, Advisory Group, Gates Commission, 2001-2003; U. S. Naval Officer, Vietnam Veteran, Desert Storm support, Retired Captain USNR; Municipal League of King County; Chair, 1996 United Way King County Charitable Campaign; UW Alumni Assn; Seattle Art Museum; American Legion Post #1; Reserve Officers Assn; Military Officers Assn of America; many democratic organizations.         

 

Finished!

If at all possible, send your response to the Municipal League electronically as an attachment, or insert it into an e-mail message (cec@munileague.org).  Mail and fax numbers are listed below.  If the League has not contacted you to schedule an interview, please call the League office at your earliest convenience.

 

Don’t forget to send the following to the Municipal League:  a resume, a photo, campaign literature, and, if you are an incumbent, constituent newsletters and other materials.  Please use the check-off list on the cover sheet of this packet to indicate which items you have sent.

 

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR CAMPAIGN!

 

THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE OF KING COUNTY

 

Candidate Evaluation Coordinator:  Jason Thibedeau

 

810 Third Avenue, Suite 224                 Phone: (206) 264-1070                      Email: cec@munileague.org

Seattle, WA 98104-1614                        Fax: (425) 671-0506                     Website: www.munileague.org