In this election cycle, there are many offices that are being contested. The larger campaigns and posts tend to overshadow local elections of equal importance.

One local office is the Treasurer-Tax Collector of Santa Barbara County. There is one candidate that is well qualified, with the background and experience essential to run this county department that handles $750 million dollars from various sources. The current Assistant Treasurer-Tax Collector, running for the office of Treasurer-Tax Collector, is Harry Hagen. Harry has over 13 years within the department as Senior Accountant, Treasury Finance Chief, and Assistant Treasurer-Tax Collector.

Mr. Hagen is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Public Finance Officer, and a Certified Public Funds Investment Manager. These licenses are essential for the various complex laws that must be adhered to when handling public resources.

Many seek this office without having served in a variety of accounting positions in the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office. They may not fully comprehend what experience is necessary.

A Certified Public Accountant license is valuable, but it is essential to understand how the Government Accounting Standards Board pronouncements operate in government accounting. The office needs experience in governmental accounting.

The Assistant Treasurer-Tax Collector manages every segment of the treasury, tax collection, and other functions.

Review other candidates’ web sites and compare their licenses and governmental accounting experience with Mr. Hagen’s.—James Murr, Santa Maria

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Double Savings Coupons: I have never endorsed a politician and probably never will. The Office of Treasurer-Tax Collector is not for the best Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, but is for the most qualified person to collect and distribute the County’s (our) money.

I have known Harry Hagen for 22 years as a friend and business associate and have found him to be honest, hard working, and ethical. His many years of excellent service as Assistant Treasurer-Tax Collector, added to that the fact he can be seen weekends at local supermarkets with a handful of double-savings coupons, convinces me he the best person for the office.—Bob Croisdale

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We the Management: On June 8, the residents of Santa Barbara County will have the opportunity to elect a new Treasurer-Tax Collector-Public Administrator-Public Guardian (TTC-PA-PG). We, the entire management and supervisory staff, overwhelmingly support and endorse Harry Hagen as the only qualified candidate. We’ve worked with Harry for many years and know that he is the candidate with the knowledge and experience to protect the public funds collected and invested by this office.

Harry Hagen has served as the Assistant TTC-PA-PG to Bernice James for the past seven years. During this time he has been a leader and directly responsible for the continued prudent and successful investment of our public funds, the fair and impartial collection of taxes, the respectful and caring support provided to our guardianship and administrator citizens, and the diligent consideration of the needs of our County’s veterans.

For the past 20 years the combined offices of TTC-PA-PG have been led with the highest degree of integrity and accountability. The success of this office is a direct result of its duties having been conducted in a non-partisan and non-political manner.

Harry has inspired us to do more with reduced staffing, while insisting we continue to provide the highest level of service to the public. He has been instrumental in upgrading and replacing our business systems with modern economical systems.

In these difficult financial times, Harry Hagen is the best candidate to continue the outstanding legacy of this office, and to safeguard the public funds we administer.— Ayala, Collections Division Supervisor; Mike Bigger, Public Guardian Supervisor; Arlene Diaz, Manager – Public Administrator-Public Guardian-Veterans’ Services; Debra Dell, Business Manager; Clint Donati, Treasurer-Tax Collection Operations Manager; Stacey Matson, Investment Manager and Debt Officer; Hector Navarro, Unsecured Tax Collection Supervisor; Linda Ratley, Santa Maria Office Supervisor; Dave Roman, Information Technologies Division Manager; Robert Stassinos, Public Administrator-Veterans’ Services Supervisor; Kim Tesoro, Manager, Treasury Finance Chief; and Lan Yee, Secured Tax & Treasury Supervisor

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