WELCOME TO THE
MICHIGAN ASSESSORS ASSOCIATION

May/June Message

We made it to the other side of our untraditional Board of Review.  Now onto 2022! As you roll over to your new database, you will notice some changes.  The CAMA data standards that were approved by the State Tax Commission are now in effect.  The changes will affect the property classes and sales terms that were originally used.  Prior to these changes, the County or assessor determined the terms and classes. For those who assess or equalize multiple jurisdictions, these changes will assist in making the task easier and more consistent.   There is another reason for these changes; the Michigan Equalization Gateway, (MEG) system. Equalization Directors will transfer data to the State using this gateway.  For the transfer of data to be efficient, standardization is necessary.   Assessors will also transfer data to the MEG system.  If you need any help or have questions regarding the CAMA data standards, please reach out to your MAA District Representative or post a question on the MAA Members Forum on the MAA website.

Concerning education, MAA has developed, and will begin offering professional designations to members. The first two professional designations are the Certified Instructor Professional (CIP) and Certified Equalization Specialist (CES) designations.  The inaugural CES classes were offered in May and June of this year.  These designations will serve to send a clear signal to employers, directors, public officials, and the public, that the designee has achieved a level of proficiency and expertise in areas of knowledge that are specific to this state.  More information can be found on the MAA Website.

Lastly, MAA is planning to hold the 2021 MAA Annual Conference. This year’s conference will be at Boyne Mountain August 8-11.  With this year’s conference, the Board is looking forward to holding conference events in person and getting back some normalcy in our lives.  The Committee plans to offer up to 12 hours of continuing education that will be beneficial in helping our members with transitioning toward virtual meetings and the adapting the new CAMA data standards.  Detailed conference and education information should be available on our website soon. For those who still are not sure about attending events in person, the conference committee is exploring the possibility also offering conference 

All my best,
Stacey Kaake, President