By Roger Rael
The Raton Range
RATON, N.M. — Joseph J. Martinez Jr. says 14 years of working throughout the Colfax County Assessor’s Office have prepared him to lead the department from his first day in office.
Martinez, 42, is running for Colfax County assessor after advancing from a property appraiser to chief appraiser and, most recently, chief deputy assessor.
Born and raised in Raton, Martinez is the son of the late Joseph J. Martinez Sr. of Cimmaron and Joyce Valdez. Martinez and his wife, Bonnie, are raising two sons.
Martinez said his life and approach to public service are guided by faith, family and community.
“I believe public service is about serving people with honesty, accountability and professionalism,” Martinez said.
Before joining the Assessor’s Office, Martinez worked for the city of Raton’s street department and later served as a code enforcement officer. He studied civil engineering at Trinidad State Junior College, where his coursework included surveying, mapping, and drafting.
Martinez said he initially hoped to become a mapper. When an appraiser position opened in the Assessor’s Office, he viewed it as an opportunity to enter the department and use his education.
Two weeks after beginning the job, Martinez was sent to Albuquerque for his first appraisal course through the International Association of Assessing Officers.
He acknowledged that the material initially felt unfamiliar.
“I asked myself that first day, ‘What did I get myself into?’” Martinez said.
By the end of the course, however, Martinez said he realized property appraisal could become a long-term career.
Within two years, he was promoted to chief appraiser, a position he held for 10 years. He has served as chief deputy assessor for the past four years.
Martinez said his experience has taught him that the office’s responsibilities extend beyond determining property values. The department also maintains ownership information, deeds, property characteristics and maps used throughout county government.
Accurate property records, he said, are essential to protecting property rights and maintaining a fair tax system for homeowners, ranchers and business owners.
Martinez said one of the most rewarding parts of his career has been explaining the assessment process to taxpayers and helping residents understand how property values are determined.
“When you’re educated in what you do, and you’re doing things fairly, being transparent just comes naturally,” he said.
Martinez said integrity, compassion and accountability are the three most important qualities an assessor should possess. He said residents deserve decisions based on facts, state law and consistent standards.
His first priority, if elected, would be to serve as what he calls a “working assessor.”
Martinez said that means working alongside employees instead of managing exclusively from behind a desk. He also wants to remain accessible to taxpayers and regularly visit communities throughout Colfax County.
“I won’t just be in the office,” Martinez said. “I will be in the communities that make Colfax County such a special place to live.”
Martinez said his goal is to lead an office where residents are treated professionally, questions are answered clearly and mistakes are corrected openly.
“Every property owner should have confidence that they are being treated fairly,” Martinez said. “And that their neighbors are being treated fairly as well.”
