George Rooker is seeking re-election to a third term as Metro Property Assessor. Rooker offers decades of assessment experience and national recognition for his exemplary work as Nashville’s property assessor. With Nashville in the midst of a critical growth period, George says his knowledge and experience are essential to ensuring our properties are assessed fairly through a smooth, efficient process.
“I take my responsibilities seriously,” he says. “Taxpayers work hard for their money, and they deserve honesty, fairness, efficiency, and economic stewardship from their government. That’s why we continue to strive to improve the accuracy of our processes and provide as much information as possible to the public. We want taxpayers to know they are being treated equitably.”
George L. Rooker Jr. says he got his love and high regard for public service from his late father, who served the highly regarded Circuit Court Clerk for Davidson County for 25 years. The life-long resident of Nashville graduated from Goodpasture Christian School and David Lipscomb University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
George began his thirty-plus year career with the Assessor’s Office as a college intern. Following graduation, he returned to forge a career in the Assessor’s Office, starting as an appraiser and including 12 years as Chief Deputy Assessor. He was elected Assessor of Property in 2008 and reelected in 2012.
He has led the office in obtaining the IAAO’s coveted Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration, the only jurisdiction in Tennessee and 13th worldwide to achieve the certification. The Certificate requires an almost year-long examination of an assessment office’s policies and procedures to ensure it meets the highest standards of high quality in its work. He now serves on its Certificate of Excellence Committee, assisting other jurisdictions in their pursuit of the accreditation.
George says, “We appreciate the recognition by our peers, but we’ll never be content to stop improving. Technology and training specifically devoted to mass appraisal advances year by year. As it does, we’ll further hone our ability to deliver the type of excellence and fairness taxpayers have come to expect of our office.
“An Assessor’s job is frequently misunderstood, and sometimes maligned, because many people mistake its role in the property tax system. Simply put, our role is to keep the playing field level for all property taxpayers by restoring equity to the system as market values change over time.
We do this through state-mandated, periodic reappraisals. We don’t set tax rates; the county legislative bodies do. Our most important function is to ensure that property owners pay only their fair share of the tax bill.”
Assessor Rooker resides in East Nashville with his wife Amy. He has one son, Jonathan, and is a member of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, various local chambers of commerce, and civic clubs. Additionally, he has worked on many charitable programs including Habitat for Humanity, Second Harvest Food Bank, Room in the Inn and the Metro Employees Consolidated Charities Fund.
