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LOCAL NEWS
 
Follows pleas from local feds, prosecutors
Yakima County assessor pulls data base off 'Net
YAKIMA (Monday, 7-19-99)---Six months ago, you could check into the county assessor's web page and determine who owned which of some 95,000 properties in Yakima County.
 
All you had to do was type in a name and, presto, all Yakima County properties owned by persons of that surname appeared in a list. You could then check on a name and obtain a map of that property's location.
 
But Assessor Dave Cook now denies that capability to the public following pleas from local feds, local government employees, and local attorneys.
 
He cited one incident to YVN recently where federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents conducted a raid on a family home.
 
Fearing retaliatory raids on their own homes, feds reportedly called the county and asked officials to remove the database. Only a hue and cry from the public would likely bring the database back on line.
 
Though the county database was on line for a year, no raid on any agent's home has ever been reported. Raids by agents on the general public's homes, however, have been occurring thick and fast, as court documents indicate.
 
To get the database removed, DEA agents reportedly talked to senior prosecuting attorney John Staffan. Staffan then called Assessor Cook. Cook and Program Analyst Jacob Tate then removed the database mode which revealed properties categorized by the owner's last name.
 
The remainder of the database, however, remains intact. At least for the time being.
 
'Netters can still type in a parcel number, a street address, or a house number to obtain property ownership info (Click).
 
Persons who wish to find all properties "John Smith" owns, however, will have to get the info by contacting the Assessor's office and requesting it in person or by FAX.
 
Cook told YVN he received "hundreds" of complaints from persons who did not want their property ownerships and locations known to the general public. Conversely, many reportedly thanked him after the access mode was removed.
 
Cook admits, however, the legality of it all is in limbo as governments try to get used to the public's growing desire for government-obtained information. That's info government demands from the public, which government also spends tax dollars to get.
 
Ultimately, the kind of information county government will release, and the manner in which the county will release it, will be determined by the legislature and guidelines," Cook said.