Assessor Wants Help From Above

Spokane County residents may want to avoid backyard sunbathing in April. That’s when county Assessor Ralph Baker (pictured) wants to take a series of high-resolution, low-altitude aerial photographs that promise to make goose pimples visible around the globe. At least, the photos would show new swimming pools, cabanas, decks and workshops. Baker wants the pictures for updating property values and hopes to shoot them in April before trees leaf out and hide the evidence. He would post the photos on his office’s Web site as well as make them available to other government agencies – including the county Department of Building and Planning, which would be interested in construction done without permits/ John Craig , SR. More here .

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Question (asked by David Laird/ Community Comment ): Is this an invasion of privacy. (Follow-up question for North Idaho Berry Pickers: Would we allow this here?)