Who is the official who places a value on property for purposes of taxation?

The city or county assessor for the jurisdiction where your real estate or personal property is located places a value on property for purposes of taxation. In some states there may be two separate assessors, one who values real property (buildings and land) and another who values personal property (machinery and equipment, cars, etc.). In some states others may act to set city, county, or state equalized values that are ultimately used when taxes are levied. Check with your local assessor and ask if your taxes are based on locally determined assessed values or city, county, or state equalized values.