Santa Clara County (Calif.). Assessor's Office.

Administrative History

The Asessor's Office was established as an elected position in 1850 and remains so today. The principal duty of the assessor is to fix the value of all real and business personal property in the county as a basis for tax calculations. The assessor also grants exemptions to qualifying properties. During the nineteenth century, the assessor on occasion carried out additional tasks, including serving as superintendent of schools in the early 1850s.