Appraiser Shifted Amid Controversy

A county commercial appraiser under siege for inflating downtown property values by millions was reassigned to track lower-profile industrial property.

Dick Weber was in charge of assessing the business core for at least five years but was moved last month after complaints from influential developers, sources said.

Commercial appraisal manager Dave Wunder said Weber’s move was part of an office reorganization.

Weber would not discuss his trans fer but said he is not fighting it.

He is now assigned to the industrial area that extends from around Playfair horse track to near Argonne Road in the Spokane Valley.

Weber also changed the values of nearly 400 properties not assigned to him in 1994, a state audit says.

“I have not worked outside the neighborhoods assigned to me,” Weber responded.

, DataTimes