Blount County Property Assessor
The Blount County Assessor of Property is required by the Tennessee Constitution to list and value all property subject to being taxed “according to value.” The assessed value of taxable property is a percentage of “fair market value” or “use value.” (Source: Blount County Property Assessor Office; BlountTN.org)
Republican candidate
Name: Todd Orr
Age: 50
Political affiliation: Republican
Occupation: Assessor of property
Office sought: Assessor of property
Biographical info: I’m a lifelong Blount Countian. I graduated from William Blount High School in 1992 and Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration/Management Information Systems in 1996. My parents are Jack and Linda Orr. I’ve been married to Staci Myers Orr for 26 years. We have two sons, Riley and Brady. Our family enjoys sports, particularly baseball and golf. I was privileged to coach both Little League and travel baseball for 11 years. We attend Foothills Church in Maryville.
7. Why are you running for this position? I want to serve. I’ve spent my life serving, whether it was on the job, with my family, or on the Little League field. Now, I have the chance to serve in a greater capacity. I believe my education and professional experience make me an asset to the residents of Blount County. My entire professional career I have worked in property assessment and oversight. It seems right to use my expertise to serve the community I have lived in my entire life. I believe in always “leaving things better than I found them.” My work isn’t finished here yet.
8. If elected, what would your top two priorities be? The top priorities of my office are to continuously seek ways to be more effective communicators and to refine our proficiency in serving the community. I take oversight of our office seriously and always pursue ways for it to be better and more efficient. I want to ensure the public knows what our office is responsible for and the resources we have. I also take great pride in being fiscally conservative. We have a budget that is approved by the County Commission each year. Since I’ve been the Assessor of Property, we have sent funds back to the county.
9. What relevant experience do you have?After college graduation, I began working for the State of Tennessee, Division of Property Assessments, which provides assistance, expertise, and oversight to local assessment offices. For 17 years, I supported mainly the county Assessors’ offices in East Tennessee.
After leaving the State, I spent 8 years as a Regional Manager with Patriot Properties, working with Assessors in numerous states. I’ve been serving as the Blount County Assessor of Property since September 2021.
I’m also a member of IAAO (International Association of Assessing Officers) and TNAAO (Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers), which provide me with a plethora of expert resources.
10. Why should voters elect you? The Property Assessor’s office is an integral part of county government. I’m a problem solver and an effective collaborator. This office needs someone leading who is reliable, fair, honest, experienced, and knows about the appraisal process and state law. I believe I check all of those boxes. I don’t and won’t promise constituents I can do things that state law prohibits.
Unfortunately, there are not any minimum qualifications for the office of Assessor of Property. I think that’s a flaw. The county needs leadership from qualified professionals. Voting for me is a vote for experience, professionalism, and, most importantly, integrity.
11. What makes you different from the other candidates for office? As the current Assessor of Property, I have prioritized property owners’ issues and shown my commitment to serve. For the past 3 years, I’ve performed the duties of this office with proficiency and compassion, while building strong relationships with citizens and other government offices.
A well-managed office is essential. Having developed personal relationships with Assessors throughout Tennessee and the country, I have access to a wealth of expertise and have already been using those resources to enhance our office.
Democratic candidate
Name: Melissa McCrossen (note: did not participate)
Political affiliation: Democratic
Office sought: Assessor of property
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