Assessor suggests selling ad space on Web site

Coming soon to a government Web site near you … ads.

Spokane County Assessor Ralph Baker proposes selling ad space on the county’s popular property data search page.

“People often say, ‘Why don’t you run your office like a business?’ ” Baker said. “We’re trying to offer a little bit of an entrepreneurial spirit to this and run it in a way that defrays the cost of running my office.”

But some question if selling government space on the Web sends the wrong message.

Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton said she is concerned about ads being placed on any county site, especially with money changing hands between government and likely advertisers such as real estate businesses that work closely with county officials.

The role of a public official is to “perform our statutory duties with impartiality,” Dalton said. “Paid advertising raises questions about our impartiality.”

The idea, Baker said, came partly from the response last fall, when he pulled the site in the midst of his re-election bid, citing concerns about potential errors. He said the outcry over the controversial decision made him wonder if he’s leaving money on the table by not offering ads.

Baker said he envisions starting with a six-month trial and selling the space, which would be fixed on every page and accompanied with a disclaimer, to the highest bidder. His biggest concern, he said, is that “unsavory” items might be attached to the advertiser’s site. But he said the successful bidder likely would be a professional real estate company unlikely to be linked to smut.

The advertising program, which would have to be approved by the county commission, could start as early as April, Baker said.

The assessor points to Yakima County’s parcel data search Web site, which has sold ads since 2005. The central Washington county earns $9,600 a year from three advertisers on yakimap.com, said Michael Martian, a Yakima County senior geographic information systems analyst.Martian said the money earned will buy aerial photos for yakimap.com. The page is, by far, Yakima County’s most popular site, averaging about 450,000 page views a month in 2006.

Yakima County officials, who only allow real estate-based companies to buy space, said the ads haven’t generated much debate. They note that the Web isn’t the only place government takes money for ad space.

“Our city buses are just logos on wheels,” Martian said.

Although the ads are limited to logos and contact information, Martian said, businesses like having a targeted audience.

Not all, however, are convinced they attract customers.

“I don’t even know that anybody pays attention to it,” said Heather Shurtleff, county manager for First American Title Insurance Company, which advertises on the Yakima site. “We haven’t gotten any good feedback one way or another.”

Baker said he is pursuing advertising, in part, because commissioners trimmed his budget.

“It will probably create some debate in our community and that’s OK. Debate’s good.” Baker said. “But for right now, I’m down $78,992 and I’ve got to find another way to make it up.”