County ‘inspection’ violates personal privacy

In reference to the Montgomery County Tax Assessor article/notification....

The IOWA APPRAISAL MANUAL SECTIONS: 6_7 Residential form boxes include foundation, basement, plumbing, floor finishes, basement or not, heating, air conditioning, interior finishes, rooms, kitchen appliances, fireplace(s), etc. In order for this form to be properly filled out, it would appear that the tax assessor must be able to enter the residential premise and visually inspect all of those features.

Or, the property owner can obtain the form from the assessor (by mail) and fill it out themselves (441.19(1)[a]? Or does this form only apply to listing?

So help me out here, where in the Iowa Constitution or the Iowa Code is the Montgomery County Tax Assessor (or some committee) granted the power to authorize and universally implement a “project” which, for all intents and purposes, requires a home-owner to voluntarily/involuntarily allow a government agent (e.g. tax assessor or government sub-contractor) to enter their dwelling/house and take a self-guided tour for the purpose of “inspecting” their home and possessions? Is there an alternative? If so, why isn’t that alternative option of receiving the appraisal form(s) by mail also mentioned in the newspaper article/notification regarding the pending assessment?

It appears to be the position of the county that just because the law permits an appraisal manual to exist, a citizen is somehow forced to permit physical access of the tax assessor or a sub-contracted company employee to the inside of their home. Is that correct? Code of Iowa 441.19(1) says a person must cooperate with information to assist in “listing.” Listing is not the same as appraising.

This letter of inquiry should not be viewed as a refusal to cooperate. However, we find this whole inspection/project thing to be inherantly wrong in so many ways (violating privacy rights, etc). Please point out the state law(s) that forces a private citizen to allow a government agent or its subcontractor(s) to enter a home and “inspect” (as your newspaper article puts it – term should have been “assess”) that citizen’s personal stuff?

Ronald Classen and Cheryl Fidler are residents of Villisca.