While Governor and Cabinet Address DOR Scandal Todd Jones Offers Industry Experience and Insight

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) released a bulletin announcing it will restructure the Certified Florida Appraiser (C.F.A.) program, addressing a scandal that came to light two years ago.  The change is subject to approval by the Governor and Cabinet during their March 2 meeting.

The embarrassing truth was exposed on February 19, 2014 during a committee meeting in the Florida House of Representatives.  According to testimony then, DOR committed multiple violations of the Florida Sunshine laws by colluding with elected Property Appraisers in the awarding of the C.F.A. certification.

A video recording of the hearing can be found at: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/VideoPlayer.aspx?eventID=2443575804_2014021284&committeeID=2727

While the Governor and Cabinet are set to fix the C.F.A. program, Hillsborough County's current Property Appraiser has made much of earning his C.F.A. under the discredited "good old boy" system; he has no state licensure or professional designation awarded by the property appraisal industry. The C.F.A. certification gets the elected official a $2,000 per year salary increase, and it's only recognized by DOR.

Under the new rules the DOR will determine who receives the C.F.A designation, not the politicians.  However, the requirements of the C.F.A. certification still fail to meet even the minimum requirements for an Appraiser Trainee license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

The proposed rule can be found at: http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/property/legislation/rules/index.html.

In the wake of the scandal, Hillsborough County Property Appraiser candidate Todd Jones commented, "Certain local offices, like Sheriff and Property Appraiser, require subject matter expertise.  As an experienced, industry designated property appraiser, real training and education will be two of the many reforms I will bring to the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's office."

Todd Jones is a Florida State-Certified General Appraiser. Jones holds the three highest designations in the property appraisal industry: the MAI, CRE, and FRICS. The MAI designation alone requires nearly 700 combined hours of rigorous coursework; the submission of at least five years worth of work product for peer review; a demonstration report for peer review; a comprehensive exam; and adherence to a Code of Ethics. There are only 1,100 CRE members in the world, and only 730 FRICS designees in North America. Todd Jones is one of only three people in Florida to hold all three of these designations.

Todd Jones is a candidate for Hillsborough County Property Appraiser and a Certified General Appraiser.

Contact: Jackie King
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Todd Jones