Sound Off is a public forum. Articles are selected from letters to the editor or may be written specifically for this feature. Today, Kitsap County Assessor Jim Avery responds to an earlier letter from an Independent reader regarding his office.

Please allow me to correct a couple or erroneous statements in the letter (“Tighten your belt, people”) you published on Nov. 5 from Ann Welsh of Port Orchard.

Assessor appraisers do not drive county “luxury” cars.

We find it much more cost-effective and productive for them to be required to use their own vehicles, with reimbursement for field work at the IRS mileage rate. And of course, office coffee funds are not paid for out of taxpayer dollars.

I, and I am sure other county managers, would welcome the performance audit suggested by Ms Welsh. I think she would be pleased to see that we are providing required services efficiently.

For instance, in my office, because of technology investment and a very productive workforce, we are doing our work today with 30 percent less staff (29.5 vs. 38.5) than we had just 10 years ago.

Hopefully that has resulted in a few of the “additional deputies” desired by Ms Welsh.