Friday, October 29, 1999
Spotlight on county valuator race
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — Typically, the race for Campbell County Property Value Administrator is hardly a headline grabber. But this isn't a typical election year.
The office is vacant because former PVA Bill Kaiser resigned this year and admitted to taking nearly $50,000 in public money.
Because the final three years of Mr. Kaiser's term must be filled, the PVA's race is the only election in Campbell County this fall featuring local candidates.
That has left Democrat Marianni Guidugli Dunn of Alexandria, appointed to the seat in June by Gov. Paul Patton, and Republican Kevin Gordon, also of Alexandria, with local voters all to themselves.
“People seem to know what is going on with the office and aware of the race,” said Mr. Gordon, 45. “You go to a place where voters are really aware, like a senior citizens center or event, and everybody knows what is going on.”
Given the recent news of the office, both candidates are running on platforms that include restoring credibility and accountability to an office charged with assessing the value of all property and vehicles in the county.
Mrs. Dunn, 49, said since taking office this summer she has not only instituted a series of financial safeguards designed to prevent further problems, but has also taken steps to improve the service in the office.
“I'm campaigning on a promise to be fair and consistent, and I want to show the people of Campbell County that I've already done that in the PVA's office,” she said.
Mrs. Dunn said she instituted internal financial controls that include the segregation of duties performed by employees and a checks-and-balance system for handling money paid to the office.
She has also extended office hours; put in place new accounting procedures for more consistent record keeping; installed a computer in the office so residents can look up or research property values; and put that same information online through the PVA's Internet Web site at www.campbell
pva.com.
Mr. Gordon has said he would work to make sure that tax assessments were done on time and fairly. He said homeowners have told him that the office has a history of not being consistent when placing a value on property.
Other planks of his platform are variations of steps Mrs. Dunn has already taken.
Mr. Gordon said he favors an Internet site for the office and extended office hours, but he would do both better.
The Internet site needs to be more accurate and contain more information. He would staff more people in the office when it is opened in the evenings and on Saturday.
He also said he would use the “bully pulpit” of the office to campaign for the elimination of all state and local taxes on vehicles.
Mr. Gordon admits he has not fully developed a plan to make up for the revenue that schools and local governments receive from the tax.
Mrs. Dunn holds bachelor's and master's degrees in public administration; worked as a local government management
services specialist for the Northern Kentucky Area Development District; was an assistant manager for the C&O Credit Union; and worked as director of development for Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills before being appointed PVA.
Mr. Gordon holds an accounting degree and has worked as accountant and financial analyst for mortgage and insurance firms.
Each campaign has had minor brushes with controversy.
Mr. Gordon was told by the State Board of Accountancy to stop using the phrase “qualified as a CPA” in his campaign materials and on the stump because while he has worked as a accountant he is not certified as a public accountant, or CPA.
Mrs. Dunn was criticized by Republicans, including Mr. Gordon, for using taxpayer funds to send county residents a newsletter about the PVA office. The Republicans said the newsletter was political propaganda paid for by the public, while Mrs. Dunn said it was a timely piece of information valuable to property owners.
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