Resident alleges overassessment, says tax assessor refused appraisal review

Butch Moore told the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly during public comment on May 5, 2026, that his properties had been overassessed and that the borough's tax assessor, Oliver Quirin, refused to review an independent appraisal.

Moore, who identified himself during remarks as Assembly Bureau staff, said the assessor raised the value on his four buildings by about $600,000 in 2025, that an adjustment later reduced the assessments by roughly $640,000 from the prior year, and that in 2026 the assessments increased by about $900,000. He said he obtained an appraisal that was upheld by the Board of Equalization for two identical buildings but declined to get a second appraisal for the other two buildings because of the cost. Moore said he presented the appraisal to the assessor and that "he refused to look at it, make any adjustments," and that the assessor told him to take the matter to the Board of Equalization.

Moore also alleged the assessor has a criminal history, saying there was a domestic-violence protective order and later DUIs and other charges while the assessor was employed elsewhere and that the assessor was hired by the borough in 2023 and subsequently had a DUI in 2024. Moore cited the borough's personnel and hiring policies, saying those policies require background checks and character standards and suggested those standards may not have been applied.

Moore said he felt targeted by the assessment process and recounted receiving two letters requesting access to his home; he said he made a public-records request for 56 recipients of similar letters and received two. He asked the assembly and Manager Mike Brown to address the assessment process so he would not have to pursue multiple appraisals in future years.

The transcript records no response from the assessor or any administrative action taken at the meeting; the mayor and assembly did not record a commitment to specific follow-up during the session.