DECISION 2026: Deschutes County Assessor Scot Langton won’t seek re-election, endorses Deputy Director Tana West for post

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Longtime Deschutes County Assessor Scot Langton announced Monday that he won't seek re-election next year and will retire at the end of his term, in January 2027. At the same time, Langton endorsed Deputy Director Tana West, who filed Monday to run for the office.

Langton, who has served as assessor since 2001 and has 33 years in Oregon property tax administration, has served in two counties and earned the trust of voters across seven elections, according to a joint release from Langton and West.

“Serving as Deschutes County assessor has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” he said. “I’ve had the privilege of working with an exceptional team and serving a community I truly care about.”

As part of his announcement, Langton shared that he is supporting Deputy Director West in her intention to run for the position. West has served as second in command for more than 20 years.

“Tana has been the backbone of this office for decades,” Langton said. “Her experience, leadership, and commitment to this community are unmatched. She knows this work inside and out, and I have complete confidence in her ability to lead the office forward.”

After retiring, Langton looks forward to new adventures, traveling with his wife Cheryl, and spending more time enjoying life outside the office.

West, who has worked in Oregon property tax circles since 1990, formally announced her candidacy for county assessor. West expressed gratitude for Langton’s support and emphasized her commitment to continuity, transparency, and steady leadership.

“I’m honored by Scot’s confidence and deeply grateful for the years we’ve worked together,” West said. “Oregon’s property tax system is complex, and experience matters. I’ve spent my entire career administering these laws and ensuring they are applied accurately and responsibly.”

West pointed to her record of leveraging technology to improve service and transparency. She was responsible for bringing new online tools to the community, including the Tax Estimator tool, which allows homeowners to easily calculate potential taxes on new construction. She also recently implemented the District Tax tool, giving the public a clear, trackable view of where their tax dollars are allocated over time.

“My focus has always been on giving our staff the best tools to do their jobs efficiently and giving the public the information they need,” West said. “This tech-forward approach has allowed the office to manage increasing workloads without increasing staff size.”

West said she is prepared to tackle significant upcoming challenges, including the complexity of administering new state laws and a wave of retirements that threatens institutional knowledge across the field.

“New laws, such as expanded exemptions for affordable housing, often have good intentions, but create administrative hurdles,” West noted. “Our experience is critical in working with other agencies to implement these correctly.”

Addressing the staffing challenge, she added, “With seasoned experts retiring, my leadership will focus on mentoring the next generation. Our intensive training program is vital, and my depth of experience means I can effectively guide that transition, ensuring continuity and accuracy for taxpayers.”

Langton said he will serve out the rest of his term to ensure a smooth and stable transition. West filed her candidacy with the county elections office Monday and so far is the only candidate for the position, online records show. The filing deadline is in March.