SLO County Assessor Tom Bordonaro seeks 5th term. Here's where he stands on the issues
During a recent candidate forum, incumbent Tom Bordonaro Jr. said he loves his job as San Luis Obispo County assessor and wants to continue serving taxpayers for as long as he can.
"I am seeking your vote for assessor to continue working on your behalf as your advocate and the advocate of all taxpayers in the county of San Luis Obispo," he said.
Bordonaro, 59, has held the job for four terms, or 16 years. He was first elected in 2002 after defeating 25-year incumbent Dick Frank.
Bordonaro has run for assessor three more times since he won the job, but hasn't faced an opponent until now.
The race for assessor — the office best known for calculating homeowners' property taxes — typically doesn't attract a lot of attention.
But Bordonaro's opponent, David Boyer, has accused the incumbent of rarely showing up for work and creating an inefficient office with too many managers.
Bordonaro said Boyer's claims are merely allegations. He said he's maintained a low assessment appeal rate by being proactive about lowering taxpayers' assessments during tough economic times.
"I'm a results-oriented person," he said.
Bordonaro has held many different jobs throughout his career, including quite a few related to public service.
He's lived in San Luis Obispo County for more than 40 years and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural management from Cal Poly and a master's degree in agricultural economics from UC Davis.
Bordonaro was elected to the California State Assembly in 1994 and represented District 33 in Sacramento for four years.
A Los Angeles Times profile of Bordonaro published in 1997, when he was running for Rep. Walter Capps' vacant congressional seat, detailed the truck crash that left him a quadriplegic during his first year at Cal Poly.
Bordonaro was a passenger in a pickup truck that crashed into a stalled semi truck while driving up the Cuesta Grade. According to the profile, Bordonaro broke his neck between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae after his head hit the dashboard.
Bordonaro said the crash gave him "resolve and determination" that helped him in future endeavors.
"When I decide to do something, I do it," Bordonaro told the Times. "The worst thing you can do is tell me I can't do something."
After his stint in the state Legislature, Bordonaro served as a commissioner for the California Board of Prison terms and ran a real estate brokerage firm.
Today, he and his wife, Martha, live in Paso Robles on a family farm, where they grow wine grapes and hay. The couple has four children and two grandchildren.
The Tribune sent Bordonaro a questionnaire asking his position on key issues facing the Assessor's Office. Here are some of his edited responses:
On the issues
Explain the job of an assessor.
The assessor is a countywide, constitutionally independent office whose task is to identify and inventory all property in the county, determine its taxability, and place a value on each property. The office currently has 85 employees and a budget of a little over $10 million.
Why are you equipped to fulfill the demands of the job?
My experience in management, economics, business, appraisal, and public service make me uniquely qualified to lead to office. Under my guidance, the office has come in under budget 13 out of 14 years, increased efficiency by 44%, cut the assessment appeals in half, and become user-friendly. I have a proven record of success and understand the issues facing the county.
Why do you want to become the county's next assessor?
I want to become the next county assessor to continue to fight for the taxpayer and serve the people of San Luis Obispo County. I am proud of the work we have accomplished. I am seeking voter support to continue working tirelessly on behalf of property owners and taxpayers to assure that property assessments are accurate and fair. Public service is what I love and I would be honored to have the voter’s support to continue.
What would you hope to accomplish during the next four years?
During my next term, one of my goals is to complete our transformation to a paperless office. Our 168,000-plus property files will be electronic, which will provide instant access to property owners and staff, increasing our efficiency and saving taxpayer dollars. Phase II will provide the ability to perform required field work with a mobile computer. The project will increase public service and reduce the use of paper to zero.
What's the most important issue facing the Assessor's Office?
The most important issue facing the office is the retirement of the baby boomer generation. Half of the staff will be eligible to retire in the next five years. This “brain drain” provides unique challenges and opportunities that I have the experience to meet. I have already begun the process of transferring knowledge to the next generation, and we are developing a strategic plan to accelerate the development of staff.
Endorsements
Bordonaro's endorsements include prominent local Republicans and conservative elected representatives from around the county.
Among his supporters are U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, Supervisor John Peschong, Supervisor Lynn Compton, Al Fonzi, the SLO County Cattlemen's PAC, District Attorney Dan Dow, Atascadero Councilwoman Roberta Fonzi and County Auditor Jim Erb.
Campaign finance
Bordonaro's campaign has raised more than $60,000 in monetary and non-monetary contributions since July 2017, according to campaign disclosure statements. The campaign has also received $4,200 in loans, all from Bordonaro.
Bordonaro had about $7,400 in the bank, as of April 21.
This story was originally published May 18, 2018 at 4:06 PM with the headline "SLO County Assessor Tom Bordonaro seeks 5th term. Here's where he stands on the issues."