News
State dismisses complaint against county treasurer - Sept. 17, 2008
Sept. 17, 2008
State dismisses complaint against county treasurer
By Stacy D. Stumbo of the Daily Courier
The Oregon Secretary of State's Elections Division has
dismissed a complaint filed by a candidate for Josephine
County treasurer less than a week after it was filed.
Grants Pass resident Dale Matthews alleged his opponent for
the treasurer's seat, incumbent John Harelson, violated election
laws by addressing "the key point of our campaign" on the
county's Web site at www.co.josephine.or.us.
Matthews has publicly accused Harelson of advocating
acceleration of foreclosures. The treasurer's page on the Web
site was recently changed to include information on the county's
foreclosure history and statistics.
"I do not approve of my own tax dollars being spent to oppose
me in this election," Matthews wrote in his complaint.
Harelson acknowledged the site was updated after Matthews
and others "made untrue statements" about the county's
foreclosure practices, but denied the changes were made as a
campaign move.
Norma Buckno, Elections Division compliance specialist, wrote
Matthews that to prohibit communications about issues directly
related to an incumbent's official duties or because they could
be the subject of debate in a political campaign "would not be
feasible or even appropriate for this office to enforce as an
election law violation."
Oregon law does not require that elected officials discontinue
regular activities, like giving updates on official business, while
running for re-election. Since the county Web site does not
discuss Harelson's candidacy, the Election's Division found the
new information on foreclosures is not a violation.
Matthews also complained that Harelson "routinely" wears his
own campaign button during public meetings. The division
found that as an elected official, state law does not prohibit
Harelson from wearing the button.
Harelson said via e-mail, "The dismissal requires no response
from me to the Secretary of State and I am planning none."
In Matthews' monthly publication called First Friday, he alleged
Harelson, a certified public accountant who's served as the
county's treasurer and tax collector since 1997, twice pushed to
accelerate foreclosures by cutting the timeline from three years
to 30 days. Matthews characterized the "scheme" as filling the
bank accounts of county bureaucracy "even if it means eating
our fellow citizens to do so."
Harelson vehemently denies the claim.
In 2005, commissioners considered but did not approve an
ordinance that would "prevent the hazards, detrimental effects
and devaluation of property sold to Josephine County in tax
foreclosure actions when such property is subjected to waste
and abandonment."
Motivated by costly cleanups on several foreclosed properties
that had been used as drug houses and dump sites, the
ordinance would have ordered a former owner's property rights
be forfeited to the county and assessed a fine "no less than
twice the monetary value of the waste committed upon the
property."
Josephine County Commissioner Dwight Ellis said, "It's a
misunderstood issue that was dealt with in 2005 by doing
nothing. It's a non-issue."
Since 2003, a total of 10 properties were deeded to the county.
Six were not usable as home sites, two were buildings on
leased land, one was an abandoned house and lot, and one
was an inaccessible home site. None of these properties were
occupied by an owner.
o o o
State dismisses complaint against county treasurer
By Stacy D. Stumbo of the Daily Courier
The Oregon Secretary of State's Elections Division has
dismissed a complaint filed by a candidate for Josephine
County treasurer less than a week after it was filed.
Grants Pass resident Dale Matthews alleged his opponent for
the treasurer's seat, incumbent John Harelson, violated election
laws by addressing "the key point of our campaign" on the
county's Web site at www.co.josephine.or.us.
Matthews has publicly accused Harelson of advocating
acceleration of foreclosures. The treasurer's page on the Web
site was recently changed to include information on the county's
foreclosure history and statistics.
"I do not approve of my own tax dollars being spent to oppose
me in this election," Matthews wrote in his complaint.
Harelson acknowledged the site was updated after Matthews
and others "made untrue statements" about the county's
foreclosure practices, but denied the changes were made as a
campaign move.
Norma Buckno, Elections Division compliance specialist, wrote
Matthews that to prohibit communications about issues directly
related to an incumbent's official duties or because they could
be the subject of debate in a political campaign "would not be
feasible or even appropriate for this office to enforce as an
election law violation."
Oregon law does not require that elected officials discontinue
regular activities, like giving updates on official business, while
running for re-election. Since the county Web site does not
discuss Harelson's candidacy, the Election's Division found the
new information on foreclosures is not a violation.
Matthews also complained that Harelson "routinely" wears his
own campaign button during public meetings. The division
found that as an elected official, state law does not prohibit
Harelson from wearing the button.
Harelson said via e-mail, "The dismissal requires no response
from me to the Secretary of State and I am planning none."
In Matthews' monthly publication called First Friday, he alleged
Harelson, a certified public accountant who's served as the
county's treasurer and tax collector since 1997, twice pushed to
accelerate foreclosures by cutting the timeline from three years
to 30 days. Matthews characterized the "scheme" as filling the
bank accounts of county bureaucracy "even if it means eating
our fellow citizens to do so."
Harelson vehemently denies the claim.
In 2005, commissioners considered but did not approve an
ordinance that would "prevent the hazards, detrimental effects
and devaluation of property sold to Josephine County in tax
foreclosure actions when such property is subjected to waste
and abandonment."
Motivated by costly cleanups on several foreclosed properties
that had been used as drug houses and dump sites, the
ordinance would have ordered a former owner's property rights
be forfeited to the county and assessed a fine "no less than
twice the monetary value of the waste committed upon the
property."
Josephine County Commissioner Dwight Ellis said, "It's a
misunderstood issue that was dealt with in 2005 by doing
nothing. It's a non-issue."
Since 2003, a total of 10 properties were deeded to the county.
Six were not usable as home sites, two were buildings on
leased land, one was an abandoned house and lot, and one
was an inaccessible home site. None of these properties were
occupied by an owner.
o o o