Bannock County assessor seeks salary increases, funding for DMV services and appraisal work

Anita, Bannock County assessor, reviewed the assessor office budget at a county budget meeting and urged modest salary increases, continued funding for training and software, and attention to services at the county-run Department of Motor Vehicles.

The assessor told the committee that the office raised its administrative fee by $1, which “seems to have helped with our revenue,” and that a shift to more online state transactions has reduced local admin-fee income. Anita said the office has begun taking registrations by phone — which does trigger the local admin fee — and continues to offer in-person appointments and a ticket queuing system to serve walk-ins.

The revenue and service issues matter because the assessor’s office also sells certain local permits and registrations and because lost admin fees move revenue out of county coffers.…