PORT ORCHARD, Wash. -- The Kitsap County Assessor's Office has been recognized with a 2025 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

The Assessor's Office has earned recognition for reinventing its workflows to handle a significant increase in application volume for the Senior Citizen/Persons with Disabilities Exemption program following a 2023 legislative change. When Substitute House Bill 1355 increased income limits from $48,574 to $65,000 for Kitsap residents starting in 2024, applications surged from 789 in 2023 to 1,392 in 2024—The office was able to absorb the increased workload without requiring additional taxpayer funding or additional staff.

"This recognition reflects our team's ability to innovate and serve our most vulnerable residents more efficiently and effectively," said Phil Cook, Kitsap County Assessor. "When faced with a 76% increase in applications, we chose to reevaluate our processes and make improvements from within instead of just adding staff. The result is improved service that is also capable of accommodating the additional workload, all while maintaining a consistently high level of customer service for seniors and persons with disabilities seeking property tax relief."

The office implemented four key innovations with the assistance of Kitsap County's Information Services (IS) Department:

• Online Application Portal: Developed in-house, the portal allows seniors to apply electronically and submit all documentation online. This innovation resulted in 41% of all new applications being submitted electronically, eliminating the need for costly off-the-shelf software.
• Paperless Processing Environment: The office moved to a paperless intake and processing environment, reducing time spent copying required documentation while saving office supplies and creating processing workflow efficiencies.
• Adaptive Application Templates: The online system was expanded to handle renewal applications and change-of-status requests, adding further efficiencies for continuous increased workloads and providing ongoing future efficiencies.
• Collaborative Workflow Design: Staff adapted their procedures to create a more collaborative processing environment, improving turnaround times and allowing residents to receive approvals and realize tax savings more quickly.

The improvements also freed up staff time for more public outreach and education about available programs.

"I want to acknowledge the partnership with the Information Services team," Cook added. "Their contribution through the PEAK program and assistance in creating the online portal was integral to our success. This award reflects true County-wide collaboration."

The exemption program reduces property taxes on primary residences for senior citizens and disabled property owners who meet certain requirements and freezes the assessed value from future increases due to the real estate market. Eligibility is based on age or disability status, ownership, residency, and income requirements.

Thanks to these workflow enhancements the Assessor's Office can process applications more quickly and efficiently while providing ongoing support and guidance to help residents navigate available tax relief programs.

Each year, NACo's Achievement Awards recognize outstanding programming in 18 categories aligned with the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, libraries, management, information technology, health, civic engagement, and more. Launched in 1970, the program is designed to celebrate innovation in county government. Each nominated program is judged on its own merits and not against other applications.

The Kitsap County Assessor's Office is available to answer constituent questions in person, via email, or by telephone. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to noon. People can also contact the office directly through email at assessor@kitsap.gov or by telephone at 360.337.5777.

For more information about property tax exemption and deferral programs, visit the Senior Citizen & Disabled Person's Exemption & Deferral Programs webpage.