Steve Brinker speaking at the union hall on AFL-CIO candidates’ night.

A case in point is my race for Hamilton County Treasurer. For the past two years current county commissioners, Todd Portune and David Pepper have attempted to move Hamilton County forward with a series of innovative ideas to bring new business to the county, thus furthering development and creating new jobs. However, they have struggled to do this in an already difficult economic climate made more difficult by the inattention and neglect of the current county Treasurer, the official charged with collecting and investing Hamilton County’s tax revenues.

In a period of economic crisis, our current treasurer has chosen to treat the Treasurer’s office as a part time job while maintaining his bankruptcy law practice as his full time employment.  If the county budget was operating with a large surplus such neglect might be excusable. Within the past year, however, uncollected tax revenues exceeded eighty million ($80,000,000) dollars. This means that local government and school jurisdictions were short hundreds of thousands of dollars which could have helped purchase needed safety equipment or funded teacher salaries.

While treasurers throughout the state meet to help draft and support the proposed Land Bank legislation, our current Treasurer says that that he doesn’t think foreclosures are that big a problem in Hamilton County. For the record, Hamilton County has had record foreclosures for the past two years in a state that ranks as high as 4th in the nation in foreclosures.

In addition to the need for a treasurer who will perform the duties delegated to the position by state law, I believe that there are further considerations which make the race for Hamilton County Treasurer one that matters more than ever.

The first is the pending legislation authorizing the creation of a Land Reutilization Program for the county (Land Bank). This program would be implemented by the county treasurer. Properly run it would be an invaluable tool for preserving housing stock and green space in the community. It would also provide much needed employment, particularly for small builders and developers. In addition it would allow the county treasurer to advance funds to jurisdictions facing financial difficulties because of uncollected taxes.

Finally, our county coroner, Odell Owens, has demonstrated what an energetic and creative public servant can accomplish, even in an office often considered minor. Through the educational speeches delivered by Odell Owens throughout Hamilton County, countless students and adults have learned the consequences of unchecked drug use and the violence to which it leads. I believe that a similar type of educational program sponsored by the county treasurer could lead to a better understanding of the benefits and responsibilities of home ownership as well as how to become a homeowner. I am committed to seeing such a program instituted when I am elected.

Does the Treasurer’s office really matter? The answer is, I believe, an unequivocal YES. The position of county treasurer does matter, but only if the Treasurer is willing to devote the time it takes to make it matter. I am willing to be that person.

Sincerely,