Candidate for
Assessor; County of Stanislaus

I am running for Assessor because I am proud of the direction the Assessor's Office is going and want to continue the high standards we have come to expect from our Assessor. Retiring Assessor Mike DeFerrari has said, "I am endorsing Doug Harms for Assessor because of his leadership abilities, supervising skills, budgetary experience, vision, and commitment to the Assessor's Office. Doug has the management skills and character that simply make him the best candidate for Assessor."

I am committed to continuing the Assessor's high standards of integrity, fairness, teamwork, and customer service that we have all come to expect. With twenty-three years of experience in the Assessor's Office, including the last seven years as Chief of Administration, I have demonstrated the necessary appraisal, budgetary, supervisory and leadership skills required for this elected position.

I believe government should solve problems by good management, not by spending more money. I will be a "hands-on" leader dedicated to the proposition that good government is efficient, impartial, and responsive to all citizens. In fact, one of my goals is to make the Assessor's Office the most user-friendly agency in the county.

I have an advanced appraiser's certificate from the California State Board of Equalization; I am a member of the California Assessor's Association, the California Chief Property Appraiser's Association, and the International Association of Assessing Officers. I held the positions of Appraiser, Senior Appraiser, and Supervising Appraiser before becoming a key deputy to Assessor Mike DeFerrari as Chief Property Appraiser in charge of administration. No other candidate can match my experience in the Stanislaus County Assessor's Office, and that is why I am endorsed not only by Mike DeFerrari, but also by County Supervisors Pat Paul, Tom Mayfield, Paul Caruso, and Nick Blom. I also have the endorsement of business leaders, farmers, educators, and others