Candidate: Jason Whistler

My name is Jason Whistler and I am running for the office of Levy County Property Appraiser. I have been employed with the Levy County Appraiser’s office since 2000 and bring 24 years of experience to the table with me. I was most recently elected to the office of Property Appraiser in 2022 during a special election and shortly thereafter, was appointed by Governor Desantis to start my term early. 

During my career I have been involved in many different aspects of the position. I have spent many years in the field as a commercial and residential appraiser. My duties included revisiting all improved properties, looking for changes to ensure that our records are correct and fair in the valuation of property. I was responsible for all yearly residential new construction permits and visit all new houses and mobile homes to determine the value for assessment purposes. Other duties included, but weren't limited to: 

·         Accept applications from individuals eligible for exemptions and other forms of tax relief.

·         Keep descriptions of buildings and property characteristics up-to-date.

·         Input data

·         Analyze trends in sale prices, construction costs, and rentals and to estimate the value of

          all assessible property.

·         Assure the certification of the tax rolls.

I am a certified Florida Appraiser through by the Florida Department of Revenue. I am the only candidate to have this accreditation..

Personal:

·         Parents, the late Rev. Mike Whistler and Sandy Whistler. I have two sisters, Rachel Stuckey

(John Aaron) and Darla Whistler (Scott Tummond)

·         Married to B.J. Lowe Whistler, daughter of Ricky Lowe and Beverly Etheredge Lowe, for 23

 years. Together we have three sons, Connor, Kyle, and Jaxon

·         Worked at Wal-Mart from 1992-2001 as a support manager

·         Property Appraiser’s office 2000-present                 

Accomplishments:

·  Things that I have accomplished in my short time in office, include but are not limited to

** made it possible to file for exemptions online

** added the zoning maps and FEMA flood maps to our website

** added a tax estimator to our website

** had the TRIM notices become available online

** Dept of Revenue approved 2022 & 2023 tax bill

** passed my first financial audit for the fiscal year 2023 performed by an outside auditing company, James Moore and Associates 

** made home owners aware and  helped those that were impacted by Hurricane Idalia fill out form DR-465 which provides a refund of a portion of property taxes for residential improvements rendered uninhabitable for at least 30 days due to a catastrophic event 

** worked with Senator Perry's office to secure funding for new aerial photography

** started cross training within staff to efficiently run the office 

I have served the citizens of Levy County at the office of the Property Appraiser for the past 24 years. I had the privilege of working under the Honorable Francis Akins and the Honorable Osborn Barker. I feel that my certifications, leadership skills, and overall knowledge of the office makes me the best and most qualified candidate for the office of Levy County Property Appraiser. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me. My door will always be open (352) 221-0688.

Thank you for your consideration and vote on August 20th.