La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

The new Skagit County Assessor is assessing his recent successful election campaign.

Danny Hagen, running as an independent, parlayed a series of public forums into a comfortable 57-43 per cent electoral victory over GOP candidate Karie Storle earlier this month. He is a former Shelter Bay resident and past member of the La Conner High basketball coaching staff.

Hagen's ability to break down the complexities of managing the assessor's office into language easily grasped by voters won him support throughout the county during his numerous candidate appearances.

"The most gratifying aspects of the experience," he told the Weekly News, "was knowing all of my hard work has paid off. For the past five years I have been working extremely hard to not only appear qualified, but to also have the skills and tools needed to do an outstanding job."

Hagen, a graduate of the Skagit Leadership program and a member of Toastmasters, gladly accepted all invitations to address voters during the campaign.

"My main goal is education," he explained. "I want our taxpayers to learn more about how assessments are calculated and how a budget-based property tax system works.

"Training and education for the staff in the office and constantly building relationships with our state legislators, so they are knowledgeable when passing property tax-related bills, are also a part of the education piece," Hagen stressed.

Hagen said he was bolstered by those who know him best – his friends and neighbors.

"The responses and support I have received from the La Conner and Shelter Bay communities has been tremendous," he said. "I've been blown away by the willingness of people in our community to help."

Hagen told the Weekly News he remains committed to public outreach.

"I'm a huge believer in servant leadership," he said, "and am extremely excited to be a public servant for Skagit County. I'm always available to answer questions and would be willing to speak at any group gatherings where people want to learn more about property taxes and how they are administered in the state of Washington."

A graduate of California Lutheran University, Hagen has worked as a residential appraiser at the Skagit County Assessor's Office.

He has moved to Mount Vernon, closer to his new office, after residing the past eight years in Shelter Bay.