MAA President's Message
January/February Message
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
I am honored and very excited to be your 2023 MAA President. My 10 years on the Board has taught me a lot about the importance of being a member in professional organizations throughout the state, especially the Michigan Assessors Association.
I began my career in 1988 as an appraiser for the City of Westland (Wayne County) and was appointed Assessor in 1995, all while working toward my Level 4 which I achieved in 1999. While working at Westland I became a member of MAA, SECMAA and WCAAO where I served as WCAAO President for the 2006-2007 term. In 2011 I retired from Westland and became the Assessor for the Charter Township of Clinton (Macomb County) and a member of Macomb Assessors Organization (MAO) and IAAO. As you can see, I believe that membership in our local and state and national organizations are crucial to our professional development.
I want to encourage everyone in the assessing profession, if not already a member, to join the Michigan Assessors Association. Membership in MAA is an important part of your professional career. Membership provides you with excellent educational opportunities at reduced tuition, and this year we are introducing some exciting new educational opportunities for all certification levels that will provide practical experience in the everyday office experience.
The Michigan Assessors Association is also working diligently on your behalf to ensure the integrity of our profession by advocating for good legislation through our Legislative Agent and Legislative Committee. Looking ahead, we are heading into a year of New and Firsts; the State Tax Commission’s new audit program, and the first time since the passage of Proposal A that the CPI is above 5%. With your membership and participation, we can meet these and any other challenges that confront our profession. Our voice in Lansing is stronger with your membership!
Membership also expands your professional network beyond your office, county, and region by opening opportunities to meet and collaborate with fellow professional throughout the state. Finally, I would like to thank Tony Meyaard for his outstanding leadership over the past year and look forward to building upon his programs as well.
Best regards,
Jim Elrod, President