Kootenai County assessor candidates debate growth, trust, technology at forum

The sharpest divide at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library was not over a tax rate, but over how much privacy Kootenai County should require from homeowners to prove they qualify for relief. About 100 people heard assessor Bèla Kovacs and challenger Allyson Knapp lay out competing views of public trust, technology and growth, with the most concrete fight centering on the county’s revised homeowner’s exemption form.

The forum, presented by the Coeur d’Alene Regional Realtors and the North Idaho Building Contractors Association, put the candidates on the same stage as voters headed toward the May 19 primary. Kovacs, appointed after the death of his predecessor and elected in 2022, argued that his office has become more transparent and more tech-savvy under his leadership. Knapp, a former chief deputy assessor with 30 years of appraisal experience, said her hands-on background would bring the office the consistency and accountability it needs.

That matters in Kootenai County because the assessor’s office sits at the center of the tax bill. It appraises and assesses taxable real estate, then helps residents with property-tax matters such as homeowner exemptions. Those exemptions can cut the taxable value of an owner-occupied primary residence and up to one acre of land by half, subject to the statutory cap, which makes the office a direct link between county government and monthly household budgets.

The clearest policy clash came over the application form itself. Kovacs said the new language, which asks applicants to give broader permission for information release so the county can verify Idaho residency, is required by state law and tied to confirming occupancy. Knapp called the change an overreach and said she would restore the older version because she believes it better protects privacy. For homeowners trying to keep tax bills down, the difference is not abstract: it decides how much personal information must be handed over before the exemption is approved.

Kovacs brought a long local resume to the debate. According to the county staff directory, he has lived in Kootenai County since 1999, holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Arizona State University and has certifications in public procurement, contracting and supply chain management. Knapp leaned on her decades inside appraisal work, presenting herself as the candidate most familiar with the office’s day-to-day demands.

The homeowner’s exemption has become a practical test of how aggressively the county should verify eligibility while avoiding unnecessary intrusion. Idaho guidance says applicants must own and occupy a home as a primary residence to qualify, and county assessors make that call. With property taxes helping fund local services, cities and schools, the choice between Kovacs and Knapp now comes down to whether voters want tighter verification or a lighter touch on the people paying the bill.