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Welcome To The Lee County Property Appraiser's Office

KW
Lee County Property Appraiser
Kenneth M. Wilkinson, C.F.A.

It is my goal as your elected Property Appraiser to provide fair appraisals for all properties, whether large or small. My staff and I are at your service to answer any questions you may have concerning the Property Appraiser’s Office. We are here to serve you.

First and foremost, thank you for visiting our website. I am Kenneth M. Wilkinson, your Lee County Property Appraiser. Prior to becoming your Property Appraiser in 1980, I served four years in the Army with the Army Security Agency with a one year tour in Vietnam. I returned to Florida and graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s Degree from the College of Business and Public Administration. I am a long-time resident, and have lived in Florida for over 50 years.

My professional background was in banking and appraising before being elected to public office. It was during my time in the private sector that I discovered how difficult it was to obtain property information from public records. Thus, one of my goals when first taking office remains the same as today. It was to develop and implement an effective system for the dissemination of information concerning the assessment process. In the ever changing world of technology, this goal remains the same. Our website offers the latest in technology while maintaining the lowest cost possible.

The Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office is your office. I have and will continue to bring about positive changes for the residents of Lee County. Many of those efforts are listed below:

  • 1989 – The IAAO (International Association of Assessing Officers) awarded our office the “Public Information Award” that recognized us for the development and implementation of an effective system for the dissemination of information to taxpayers concerning the assessment process.
  • 1990 – In conjunction with the Manatee Property Appraiser, I was instrumental in getting legislature enacted to revise Florida Statute 119.07, inspection, examination and duplication of records. This allowed for electronic access to Public Records. In that same year, we were also successful in our efforts that allowed for the automatic renewal of homestead exemptions.
  • 1992 – Personally authored and championed “Save Our Homes” (SOH) or Amendment 10, a citizen’s initiative effectively putting a 3% per year cap on assessed values of homestead properties. In 1992, Florida voters approved Amendment 10 and it was enacted in 1995. In 2004, the SOH amendment protected over 165.1 billion dollars of homeowner’s value from taxation statewide. Just in Lee County, the 2005 protected value exceeded 8.5 billion dollars.
  • 1993 – Our office entered into an inter-local agreement with Lee County Government giving the Property Appraiser’s Office the responsibility for all phases of GIS (Geographical Information Systems). This included developing, planning, and implementing the GIS hardware and software, as well as giving support to all county departments who utilize GIS. And, in 1997 our office was the first in any state or national assessment jurisdiction to offer on-line mapping via the Internet.
  • 1994 – Recipient of the “National Association for Counties Achievement Award” for “Consolidation of Geographic Information”.
  • 1997 – Our office was the recipient of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), “Most Distinguished Assessment Jurisdiction Award”.
  • 1999 – The International Association of Assessing Officers awarded our office the “Belon Award” for Innovations in Mass Appraisal. I am proud to say Lee County has the fourth lowest per parcel cost (annual budget divided by parcel count) of all 67 counties in Florida. And according to a 1999 national study, Lee County ranks as the number one jurisdiction in terms of lowest cost per parcel for the United States and Canada, of all metropolitan jurisdictions.
  • 1999 – The Y2K “Bug” presented our office with yet another set of challenges putting my name and reputation and that of our staff, on the line by saving Lee County taxpayers over 12 million dollars “fixing” Lee County Government’s Y2K problem.
  • 2003 & 2004 “Herb Lockey Award” – Florida Association of Property Appraisers.
  • 2008 – Received the prestigious IAAO “Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration Award” for recognition of utilizing best appraisal and assessment practices throughout our office including strong emphasis on teamwork, accomplishments, and a high level of satisfaction among peers, staff, and constituents. The IAAO Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration is intended for jurisdictions that have developed superior assessment practices for all aspects of their operations.
  • 2008 – Appointed by the Governor to the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.
  • 2008 – FAPA (Florida Association of Property Appraisers) awarded the “Legislative Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Efforts” during the 2008 legislative session on behalf of the citizens of the state of Florida.

Since taking office in 1980, I’ve held to my philosophy of having an “open door” policy. I remain committed to exploring new and innovative methods to improve the appraisal process and maintaining the highest level of representation for you, the taxpayer, by always looking out for your best interests.

Respectfully,
Kenneth M. Wilkinson, CFA
Lee County Property Appraiser

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