Who is running for Lee County property appraiser in the 2024 primary election? What we know

This article has been updated to correct Cunningham's role with LandQwest / LQ Commercial.

Lee County's primary elections are just around the corner, and two have put themselves forward for the title of property appraiser.

County property appraisers are elected officials charged with estimating the market value of your property. Taxes and even some federal regulations –– like the famed 50% rule –– are based off appraised values.

Florida law specifies that every property must be inspected at least once every five years.

In Lee County, per state documents on population size, the property appraiser position pays a base rate of $189,252.

Winners of primary elections typically move on to the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5, if they face a challenger.

However, the two qualified candidates for Lee County Property Appraiser are both registered Republicans, meaning that whoever wins the August 20th primary will have won the seat. Although Florida is a closed primary state, as both candidates are Republican, the primary for this race will be open to voters of all parties.

Since Hurricane Ian, the property appraiser's office has been in the news more than usual –– first, when news of the 50% rule came out, a regulation that requires homeowners spend only up to half of the pre-disaster value of their home in repairs, unless the entire structure is brought up to current codes and floodplain management. Then, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency initially disparaged the appraisal values out of Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell's office in February 2023, saying FEMA officials believed the values were overinflated, and threatened to kick the county's homeowner's out of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Caldwell's office fought back, and after more than a month and several meetings, agreed that Caldwell's office had, in fact, assessed property values correctly.

"It’s pretty rare you get a federal bureaucracy to admit they’re wrong," Caldwell said. "That’s a pretty big moment there."

More: Mail and early voting for Lee County 2024 primary election: Here's what you need to know

The candidates for Lee County, Florida property appraiser

Matt Caldwell, R, 42

Caldwell, the incumbent, has a long history of government service. He was a Florida House Representative from 2010 to 2018, until he was termed out. According to his bio, he served on and chaired several committees including those on tax policy, redistricting, insurance and banking, transportation and infrastructure, among others.

In 2018, Caldwell ran unsuccessfully for the role of agricultural commissioner, and returned to doing property appraisals and consulting in Lee County. Shortly thereafter, though, Ken Wilkinson, who held the title of Lee County Property Appraiser for 40 years, decided to step down. In 2020, Caldwell ran for and won the title of property appraiser for Lee County with Wilkinson's support and endorsement.

What are you proudest of during your time as Lee's property appraiser?

"The public service part. We, obviously, touch every single property owner in the county and considering nearly half of them are homestead property owners, it’s critical we communicate with each of them and understand their unique situations. I get pretty constant feedback with how happy folks are with our communication and their situations. That was a high priority for me."

Too, Caldwell said, winning the 2023 fight against FEMA for its disparagement of assessed property values, and ensuring homeowners still had access to the NFIP was huge.

As of Thursday, over $14,000 had been contributed to Caldwell's campaign, of which he had spent roughly $11,000.

Notable contributions came from sugarcane farmer Joe Marlin Hilliard, the son of cattle rancher, citrus grower and sugarcane farmer Joe A. Hilliard, as well as potato grower Troyer Brothers Florida, Inc., attorney and Fort Myers Housing Authority chairman E. Bruce Strayhorn, conservative PAC "Friends of Kevin Ruane," and car dealership owner Robert Galloway.

More: FEMA 50% Rule: Agency relents on Lee County Property Appraiser values

Steve Cunningham, R, 71

Cunningham, a newcomer to running for political office, has been in the real estate business in Lee County since 1976, he said. Cunningham has worked for a number of real estate companies and brokerages in his 46 years in the industry, including stints as managing director of commercial real estate firm and brokerage SVN / KOVA, which was ranked 17 in the U.S. by the Lipsey 2023 Real Estate Brand Survey. Cunningham was also a partner and qualifying broker of LandQwest Commercial (now known as LQ Commercial), and a partner at LandQwest Asset Recovery and LandQwest Property Management.

In its rebranding statement to the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, LQ Commercial noted the company brought enterprises such as discount grocer ALDI, Canadian fast-food breakfast spot Tim Horton's and healthcare organization Millenia Physicians Group to the Orlando, Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida markets.

Cunningham has significant experience in real estate appraisals, and has served as an expert witness, special magistrate, court-appointed receiver, and carried out tax appeal cases. He was also appointed for two terms on the Planning Board for the city of Fort Myers roughly 20 years ago.

As of Thursday, $0 had been contributed to Cunningham's campaign, and he had spent $0.

How does your experience relate to what homeowners in Lee County are dealing with now?

"In the last few years I have represented property owners in the appeal process. With Hurricane Ian and the infamous 50% rule FEMA imposed, I’ve done numerous 50% appraisals on behalf of owners. Also we’ve done analyses on properties for insurance purposes, to make sure properties are appropriately insured for Ian. If there’s an error on the tax roll and the value is too low, homeowners are held to less leeway to rebuild."

Why are you running?

"Bottom line, we’ve been through a major pandemic in 2020. Prices dropping, oversupply impacting prices. We went through a Category 5 hurricane. I think it would be a good idea to have a battle-tested, field-tested 48-year-vet in the real estate business to have a fresh look at the tax rolls."

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Lee County Florida property appraiser candidates for election 2024