FRESNO - Fresno County Assessor-Recorder Paul Dictos announced yesterday that his office is the recipient of a $2.25 million grant under the newly enacted “State Supplementation for County Assessors’ Program” (SSCAP).  After listening to California Assessors’ cries for help and reading a passionate letter from Assessor Dictos, Governor Brown appropriated $5 million dollars for the next three years- a total of $15 million. Fresno County will receive $750,000 annually for the next three years.

Grant funds will only pay for overtime and much needed extra help in order to alleviate the Assessor’s perennial backlog and help to accelerate, increase, and preserve the county’s flow of property tax revenue.  With an unprecedented boom in construction, this Assessor can use all the help he can get. “Considering recent job cuts suffered by my department, this grant is mana from heaven above”, said Dictos.

In Fresno County, over 60 percent of annual property tax revenue goes to K-14 schools and the County Office of Education, offsetting the State's General Fund obligation to the schools.  The State has a vested financial interest in ensuring that county assessors have the resources necessary to administer property taxes. “Property tax is the glue that allows local government to maintain civilization”, said Dictos.

Many thanks to Governor Brown, my staff who worked laboriously to submit the grant application on time, our county counsel for ruling on this, and last, but not least, the Board of Supervisors who gave us a unanimous vote to move on with the application.

“This is GOOD NEWS for our children and families in Fresno County”, said Assessor-Recorder Paul Dictos.