Cochise County assessor outlines budget pressures, staffing gaps and valuation trends

Cochise County Assessor Phil Leinbarger told the Cochise County Board of Supervisors during a work session that about 98% of his office’s budget is driven by statutory duties and that the office needs modest increases for postage, printing and staffing to meet mandatory workloads.

Leinbarger framed the request as narrowly focused but consequential: the assessor’s office prepares the annual property assessment roll used by the county and dozens of local taxing jurisdictions to set tax levies. He said staffing shortages, recurring data-system license costs and changes in how centrally valued properties are assessed are the primary operational pressures facing the office.

Leinbarger said his office employs 36 full-time positions and currently has eight vacancies—about 25% of the workforce—and that filling certified appraiser roles is a persistent challenge. “Basically, about 98 of my budget is mandated statutory functions,” Leinbarger said. He told supervisors the office uses aerial imagery, permit data and field inspections to identify new construction and escaped property, but limited staff constrains how much…