by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
With the primary elections just over a month away, many Jacksonville residents may be wondering who the next mayor will be while forgetting that over 20 other offices are also going to be on the ballot. One such job, Duval County property appraiser, has four candidates seeking the post currently held by Ernie Mastroianni, who decided not to run for reelection.
Fran Beach
Republican candidate Fran Beach amassed 29 years worth of appraisal experience before finally deciding to run for office. Since transferring to Jacksonville 13 years ago, she has been a fixture in the Property Appraiser’s Office. Beach currently oversees the personal tangible properties department on a day-to-day basis.
“This is my first political campaign,” she said, “but I feel like I am the most qualified candidate for the job with the most experience.”
In addition to her work locally, Beach has worked in the Orange County Property Appraiser’s Office for 12 years and was the city assessor in Vassar, Mich. Additionally, she has her Florida Real Estate Brokers License.
Beach first thought about running four years ago. She said since moving to Jacksonville, she’s lived in Mandarin and Arlington. She now resides on the Northside.
“I think it’s safe to say that I know the county very well,” said Beach, “and I love every part. Jacksonville is a wonderful city.”
As for the upcoming election, Beach said she is looking forward to it.
“It’s been an interesting experience to say the least,” she said. “I don’t really feel like the job should be an elected position and I don’t really consider myself a politician. I’m really counting on the people of Jacksonville to recognize my experience and dedication even though I may not have immediate name recognition. If I’m elected, I’ll do my best to insure that the Property Appraiser’s Office is run efficiently and that property in the area is appraised at fair market value. Fairness is very important.”
William King
When asked why he was running for property appraiser, William King said the answer was simple.
“I am pursuing the job because I want to make a difference,” said King. “I don’t want to see an increase in property taxes. That concerns me.”
King is the only Democrat running.
Prior to moving to Jacksonville 28 years ago, King served stints in the Navy and Air Force before going to work for the JEA as a trainer. In the evenings, he works for a commercial real estate appraisal company. King has been a state certified real estate appraiser for eight years.
King said that, if elected, he will make a concerted effort to “be more available to the public.”
“One of the main things that I noticed when you call the Property Appraiser’s Office with a question,” said King, “is that they immediately redirect you to their website. A lot of callers are elderly who are not familiar with the Internet. Some of them, quite frankly, can’t even afford a computer.”
To amend that, King said that he would like to establish a live voice hotline for people without easy access to a computer.
“I definitely plan to say in the public eye,” said King. “I plan to attend City Council meetings to stay informed on issues concerning property and also I want to do more for small businesses who are contributing to the city. So far, no one has even mentioned them.”
King, who has made it a point not to pursue any political endorsements from big business and special interest groups, hopes to pull together the strengths of several different City commissions and initiatives to improve the way office is currently run.
“If we’re going to make our city grow,” he said, “we’ve got to learn to work together. The Office of the Property Appraiser needs someone running from outside of this department to bring in new ideas and patterns. I come from the community and I look forward to meeting the people.”
Kurt Kraft
Like Beach, Kurt Kraft has also spent an extended amount of time in the Property Appraiser’s Office. He’s been an appraiser for as long as he’s lived in Jacksonville, nearly 20 years.
“During my tenure in the Property Appraiser’s Office, I have appraised residential and commercial properties throughout Duval County, from single family homes to major corporate facilities,” said Kraft, a Republican. “Over the years, my work assignments have enabled me to gain a unique knowledge of the office and develop a vision for the office for the future.”
Aside from his experience at the appraiser’s office, Kraft has been actively involved with the Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Planning & Zoning Association and the Florida Chapter of the International Association of Assessing Officers. Additionally, he is a state certified realtor and evaluator. Kraft currently resides on the Westside and his father, Leonard, is the owner/broker of Kraft Realty Sales Corp.
“My energy and work ethic will provide the kind of leadership necessary for the Office of the Property Appraiser to accomplish its mission and be a beacon for others to follow,” he said. “It must maintain the highest standard of technical and professional service. I want it to reflect the best of Jacksonville.”
Jim Overton
Jim Overton is no stranger to Jacksonville government and policy. He has spent nearly 10 years on the City Council as the District 14 representative and is considered to be the candidate with the highest degree of name recognition.
During his time on the Council, Overton, also a Republican, served a term as president and has assisted in several restoration and preservation projects in the Riverside/Avondale area.
“I really enjoy public life,” said Overton, who cannot run for Council again because of term limits. “Now, I’m looking forward to getting elected as property appraiser and changing the culture of that office.”
If elected, Overton said that he would like the office to reflect more of an open atmosphere, something that he says it is missing right now.
“I’ve spent 20 years in a private business,” said Overton. “I know how to manage people and I have a lot of knowledge regarding public policy in Jacksonville. The other candidates don’t have that.”
In addition to his Council experience, Overton has a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in public administration. He is also a fifth generation resident of Jacksonville.
“The Office of the Property Appraiser should be run fairly,” said Overton. “Fairness is very important.”