May 17, 2021

Please describe your role with your County:

I am the elected Treasurer-Tax Collector for Monterey County. I oversee a department that consists of three units: Property Tax, Revenue Division, and Treasury.

The Property Tax Division collects all property tax, transient occupancy taxes (TOT), and commercial cannabis business taxes. The Revenue Division functions as an in-house collection service for various departments but mainly focuses on the collection of court-ordered fines and fees. Finally, the Treasury Division is the bank for the county, schools, and most special districts. We manage all types of banking services while overseeing a $2.2 billion pooled investment portfolio.

I also have the pleasure of serving the county as the President of the Public Improvement Corporation and Vice-Chair of the Deferred Compensation Committee. Additionally, I serve as the Treasurer for the Investment Trust of California (CalTRUST) and as the President of the California Cannabis Authority (CCA), both of which are CSAC-affiliated programs.

What’s your proudest professional or personal accomplishment?

I guess I would have to say deciding to run for public office and achieving that goal. I never thought of myself as someone who is very political and the leap to elected office was a big one for me. When the incumbent Treasurer decided to retire, I made the choice to run for the office of Treasurer-Tax Collector. While I felt I had mastered the technical competencies required for the position, I did have a lot to learn about how to be an elected official and how to best represent all my constituents. I was elected in November of 2010 and am extremely proud to serve as the first female Treasurer-Tax Collector in Monterey County.

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

That is a tough question. I have many favorites, but I guess I would pick Forrest Gump as one of my top movies. It was captivating to watch the story unfold and see the impact that Forrest had on so many people, and he didn’t even realize it. He just simply followed his own path in life and it ultimately led him to his greatest achievement. Oh, and you can’t forget the great special effects and fantastic soundtrack!

What’s the most interesting or fulfilling part of your job?

I enjoy all the hard-working wonderful people I get to interact with on a regular basis. I’m very fortunate to be able to work collaboratively with others throughout the County and State to effect legislative and other changes that can make a difference in the lives of our community members. It’s also satisfying to explain to the taxpayers all the duties and functions accomplished by the County and the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office so they gain a better understanding of the important work being performed on a daily basis.

What are you currently reading?

Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. I’ve always wanted to plan a vegetable garden and the concept of planting more crops in a smaller area is intriguing. I started planting last weekend and will hopefully be very successful with my first attempt at a square foot garden.