Douglas County assessor candidate Roger Hartman’s message of greater transparency and lower property assessments got the stamp of voter approval Tuesday.
Hartman defeated incumbent Susan Acree by a margin of 51 percent to 42 percent, with 10,604 votes to Acree’s 8,676.
A third candidate, Harry McDermott, drew 1,333 votes despite announcing he no longer wanted the post. McDermott backed Acree’s campaign.
Because he won a majority of the primary votes, Hartman will not have to run off against Acree in November.
Hartman will take over from Acree and begin his four-year term in January.
Hartman said Tuesday night he was not surprised by the result but was grateful for the votes.
“It feels great,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of property that’s overvalued and people recognize that and also the assessor’s office has not been run with as much transparency as it should have been. The people want an office that is transparent no matter what. They want fair values on their property, and it has not happened in the last four years.”
Hartman is a retired businessman who said he successfully argued for lower property assessments before the Board of Property Tax Appeals.
Acree, a 36-year veteran of the assessor’s office, campaigned on experience. She was first elected assessor in 2010.
A man who answered Acree’s home phone Tuesday night said she declined to comment.
Acree issued a written statement late Tuesday night in which he said she will leave office with “peace of mind and heart” but also sadness.
“Public service doesn’t come without sacrifice. Looking back over my term in office, I made tough decisions for the benefit of Douglas County. I am proud that my integrity stood intact, never wavering under the pressure of special interests. I vowed to serve the entire public equally and fairly; there is nothing I would take back,” she wrote.
Hartman visited the Douglas County Courthouse with supporters Tuesday to see early election results.
Acree’s 2010 challenger, Tony Page, joined Hartman. Page sued Acree, alleging defamation after a heated campaign in which she accused him of looking at Internet pornography at work. The lawsuit was settled out of court after Acree’s election victory. No money changed hands, and Acree and Page agreed not to comment on the settlement beyond a written statement by Acree acknowledging her allegations “may not have been completely accurate.”
Page said voters picked the right man for the job this time.
“It was the right result. He’s going to be honest and fair,” Page said.
Supporter Larry Saccato said he is “very happy with the result.”
“It’s just what the county needed for a long time,” Saccato said. “If we can’t clean up our own backyard, how can we expect to clean up the state or federal government?”
Hartman promised to restore public computer terminals that Acree removed from the office in October. The terminals offered access to public records not available online.
Acree said they were removed to reduce congestion and prevent users from discovering confidential information about the value of personal business property. Hartman said no such information was available on the terminals and accused Acree of making excuses.
• You can reach reporter Carisa Cegavske at 541-957-4213 or ccegavske@nrtoday.com.
This version of the story was posted Tuesday night.
Douglas County assessor candidate Roger Hartman’s message of greater transparency and lower property assessments got the stamp of voter approval Tuesday.
Hartman led incumbent Susan Acree by a margin of 51 to 42 percent, with 9,380 votes to Acree’s 7,702, with 86 percent of the votes counted.
A third candidate, Harry McDermott, drew 1,176 votes despite announcing he no longer wanted the post. McDermott backed Acree’s campaign.
Because he won a majority of the primary votes, Hartman will not have to run off against Acree in November.
Hartman will take over from Acree and begin his four-year term in January.
Hartman said Tuesday night he was not surprised by the result but was grateful for the votes.
“It feels great,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of property that’s overvalued and people recognize that and also the assessor’s office has not been run with as much transparency as it should have been. The people want an office that is transparent no matter what. They want fair values on their property, and it has not happened in the last four years.”
Hartman is a retired businessman who said he successfully argued for lower property assessments before the Board of Property Tax Appeals.
Acree, a 36-year veteran of the assessor’s office, campaigned on experience. She was first elected assessor in 2010.
A man who answered Acree’s home phone Tuesday night said she wouldn’t comment on the election.
Hartman defeated incumbent Susan Acree by a margin of 51 percent to 42 percent, with 10,604 votes to Acree’s 8,676.
A third candidate, Harry McDermott, drew 1,333 votes despite announcing he no longer wanted the post. McDermott backed Acree’s campaign.
Because he won a majority of the primary votes, Hartman will not have to run off against Acree in November.
Hartman will take over from Acree and begin his four-year term in January.
Hartman said Tuesday night he was not surprised by the result but was grateful for the votes.
“It feels great,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of property that’s overvalued and people recognize that and also the assessor’s office has not been run with as much transparency as it should have been. The people want an office that is transparent no matter what. They want fair values on their property, and it has not happened in the last four years.”
Hartman is a retired businessman who said he successfully argued for lower property assessments before the Board of Property Tax Appeals.
Acree, a 36-year veteran of the assessor’s office, campaigned on experience. She was first elected assessor in 2010.
A man who answered Acree’s home phone Tuesday night said she declined to comment.
Acree issued a written statement late Tuesday night in which he said she will leave office with “peace of mind and heart” but also sadness.
“Public service doesn’t come without sacrifice. Looking back over my term in office, I made tough decisions for the benefit of Douglas County. I am proud that my integrity stood intact, never wavering under the pressure of special interests. I vowed to serve the entire public equally and fairly; there is nothing I would take back,” she wrote.
Hartman visited the Douglas County Courthouse with supporters Tuesday to see early election results.
Acree’s 2010 challenger, Tony Page, joined Hartman. Page sued Acree, alleging defamation after a heated campaign in which she accused him of looking at Internet pornography at work. The lawsuit was settled out of court after Acree’s election victory. No money changed hands, and Acree and Page agreed not to comment on the settlement beyond a written statement by Acree acknowledging her allegations “may not have been completely accurate.”
Page said voters picked the right man for the job this time.
“It was the right result. He’s going to be honest and fair,” Page said.
Supporter Larry Saccato said he is “very happy with the result.”
“It’s just what the county needed for a long time,” Saccato said. “If we can’t clean up our own backyard, how can we expect to clean up the state or federal government?”
Hartman promised to restore public computer terminals that Acree removed from the office in October. The terminals offered access to public records not available online.
Acree said they were removed to reduce congestion and prevent users from discovering confidential information about the value of personal business property. Hartman said no such information was available on the terminals and accused Acree of making excuses.
• You can reach reporter Carisa Cegavske at 541-957-4213 or ccegavske@nrtoday.com.
This version of the story was posted Tuesday night.
Douglas County assessor candidate Roger Hartman’s message of greater transparency and lower property assessments got the stamp of voter approval Tuesday.
Hartman led incumbent Susan Acree by a margin of 51 to 42 percent, with 9,380 votes to Acree’s 7,702, with 86 percent of the votes counted.
A third candidate, Harry McDermott, drew 1,176 votes despite announcing he no longer wanted the post. McDermott backed Acree’s campaign.
Because he won a majority of the primary votes, Hartman will not have to run off against Acree in November.
Hartman will take over from Acree and begin his four-year term in January.
Hartman said Tuesday night he was not surprised by the result but was grateful for the votes.
“It feels great,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of property that’s overvalued and people recognize that and also the assessor’s office has not been run with as much transparency as it should have been. The people want an office that is transparent no matter what. They want fair values on their property, and it has not happened in the last four years.”
Hartman is a retired businessman who said he successfully argued for lower property assessments before the Board of Property Tax Appeals.
Acree, a 36-year veteran of the assessor’s office, campaigned on experience. She was first elected assessor in 2010.
A man who answered Acree’s home phone Tuesday night said she wouldn’t comment on the election.
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