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Tax assessor defends updated dealer‑deputy agreement after public concerns
Summary
Public commenters urged the court to deny a proposal to deputize local motor‑vehicle dealers; Tax Assessor Jennifer Escobar and an assistant district attorney said the item modernizes a 1994 agreement to reflect House Bill 718 (effective 7/1/2025) and increase bond/security measures; the court approved the updated template.
Two public commenters told the court they opposed giving the tax assessor expanded authority to deputize dealership title clerks, arguing it would increase oversight of dealer hiring and create additional administrative burdens. Rooster Brompton and Miguel Mendez said HB 718 has changed dealer title practices and alleged deputizations had been handled improperly in recent months.
Tax Assessor Jennifer Escobar responded that the existing dealer‑deputy agreement dated from 1994 and contains outdated definitions and inventory requirements. Escobar said her office worked with the county civil attorney to modernize the form to reflect statutory changes under HB 718, to clarify inventory responsibilities for sticker paper (registration receipts) and to increase bond amounts in recognition of higher costs and security needs.
Assistant District Attorney Catherine Howard told the court HB 718 took effect July 1, 2025 and that the updated agreement modernizes language; she said the law addressed specific earlier problems (paper‑plate issues) and confirmed the county still has statutory authority to set deputization terms and bonding requirements. When asked whether the tax assessor had previously refused deputization for an individual, Escobar confirmed she denied one deputization after staff review because of that person’s prior issues; she framed it as an office‑level personnel and security decision tied to her bond exposure.
After questions and discussion about past fraud incidents (which staff said involved a former employee and were handled by authorities), the court voted to approve the updated limited‑service deputy dealer agreement template and authorized staff to proceed.
