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Town Crier statement

• Board of Assessors (2004-present)

My name is Susan Rufo and I have been honored to be one of your assessors for the last three years and now I seek your vote to be re-elected to another three-year term.

I’ve live in Wayland for over 13 years with my husband Paul and our son who is a Wayland High School senior. Two of the key elements of my last campaign were accuracy and the need for stronger communication. I’d like to review some of the ways as a member of the Board of Assessors I helped advance those ideas and promises.

A major step in achieving a higher level of accuracy was changing our mass appraisal vendor. I took an active part in formulating the requirements, reviewing and analyzing the proposals from vendors in seeking to provide the taxpayers of Wayland a better and more understandable mass appraisal program in which to more fairly and equitably assess their properties. The end result was the conversion from the long used CLT program to the Vision program. This change was completed for our current tax period of fiscal year 2007. Although this new program allows the assessors to gather and retain more data, it will continue to be a learning process of how to best utilize the program for its maximum benefit in meeting the specific needs of Wayland.

Making homeowners’ property data information available for them online to access at times and places that are most convenient for them has expanded upon the second issue of better communication. In addition, to allow taxpayers better transparency of the assessors’ work and efforts on their behalf minutes are posted to the assessors’ Web site.

Another major change that I helped to advocate for was the Board of Assessors being increased from a three-member board to a five-member board, in order to work more efficiently. By becoming a five-member board it will now allow two board members the opportunity to discuss and work on concerns outside of board meetings, which cannot be done under the current board membership. This change was endorsed by the voters of Wayland at last spring’s Town Meeting and I look forward to working with the new board members in continuing to improve the assessment process so that it is consistent and fair for all homeowners.

I have enjoyed the many challenges that the office of assessor presents and I would welcome the privilege of serving another three-year term as assessor to continue working on the very important goals of strengthening the accuracy of the data on property record cards and encouraging improved communication between the residents of Wayland and the assessing office. I ask for your vote on April 24.