Saturday, May 20, 2000
N.Ky. primary is one-office race
Property valuation position contested
By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BURLINGTON — The only election in Tuesday's Northern Kentucky primary featuring contested races in both parties is for Boone County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA).
On the Democratic side, incumbent Paula Goff, who was appointed to the office in January by Gov. Paul Patton, is challenged by Arlene Jones Singletary, a longtime community and political activist.
The Republicans are Shawn Staggs of Burlington, a teacher, and Florence resident Ron Burch, who works in the financial services industry selling mutual funds, investments and insurance.
The primary winners will face off in the fall for the final two years of the term of former PVA David Turner. Mr. Turner was sentenced in October to five years' probation, a year in jail and restitution for theft. He admitted taking $45,000 in office funds to feed a gambling habit.
The PVA is charged with setting property values in the county for the purpose of taxation.
Ms. Goff, 41, is a former field representative for U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas. She said much of the work she has done since January has to do with “restoring the credibility of this office.”
“We're moving in the right direction and we're meticulously going through the tax rolls and assessments to make sure all the property in the county is being properly assessed.”
Ms. Goff said her staff has found several buildings and pieces of property that were not on the tax rolls, including a 37-acre tract in the exclusive Triple Crown Country Club development in Richwood.
“The idea is to make this as fair as possible for all the taxpayers, and if somebody isn't paying taxes, that's not fair to everybody else who is.”
Ms. Goff said she has used a $12,000 state grant to improve computer technology in the office and eventually wants to make more information available on the Internet.
Mrs. Jones Singletary, 56, is a Boone County native who has served on the Boone County Board of Education and worked as deputy judge-executive in the early 1980s.
She is also a licensed real estate agent and describes herself as a conservative Democrat.
“I am running because I've always enjoyed working in and serving this community, and because with my administrative, political and real estate background, I know I am well-qualified to serve as PVA,” Mrs. Jones Singletary said.
She also wants to improve the technology in the office.
Technology is also an issue with Mr. Staggs, 27.
The Kenton and Campbell county PVA offices post information on Internet Web sites that features a picture of the property, its value and who owns it.
“I want property on the Internet,” he said, “but I'll only have the address and the value and not the owner's name.”
A Boone County magistrate in 1988, Mr. Staggs is active in Boone County Republican politics.
Mr. Burch, 57, also described himself as a conservative who has 30 years of financial and business management experience. He has also passed the state test for selling real estate.
“Those are assets that will help me serve the people of Boone County,” he said. “I've dealt with budgets, with business organizations, with administration, with personnel and all the other aspects of what the PVA does.”
A veteran of the U.S Air Force, Mr. Burch said he will be able to determine what needs to be done to the office if he is elected.
“I'll go into the office, see what needs to be done and improved and I'll make the necessary changes,” he said.
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