Noguez' bail is set at $1.4 million.

Authorities arrested John Noguez Wednesday morning along with tax consultant Ramin Salari and Mark McNeil, Noguez's colleague in the assessor's office.

Their arrests follow a yearlong investigation into whether Noguez reduced property tax assessments in exchange for campaign contributions from Salari. Prosecutors speculate the fudged assessments cheated the county out of $1.6 million in revenue.

A judge set Noguez's and Salari's bail at $1.4 million each. McNeil has been released on $1.1 million bail.

In May, former county appraiser Scott Schenter was arrested for lowering property values by $172 million. Schenter said he lowered the rates because Noguez told him to do so.

Repeated allegations of bribery and corruption within the assessor's office have left county officials looking for a way to prevent the abuses from happening. In July, the county approved Measure A, an advisory vote that will ask voters whether the district should appoint the assessor rather than letting voters decide the position.

The process will take time. Depending on what voters say, the county will consider whether to submit a bill to the state legislature that would change the process, if passed.

Reach Assistant News Editor Aaron Liu here. Follow him on Twitter.