Jim Martin Wants to
Collect Your Taxes
Since 1964, Orange County has written one name on their checks for property taxes and vehicle tags. This was seven years before Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom opened, and even the opening of I-4 through downtown Orlando. Obviously, the character of our region has changed greatly in many respects. For those who have watched this growth, the question is, have the services that are provided to the residents kept pace with this growth. If you walk into the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office on west Colonial near Tampa Avenue the answer would appear to be a resounding, “No!”
The position of County Tax Collector is authorized by Florida's Constitution, as a separate entity that does not report to any other county departments or agencies. The Tax Collector is an elected officer and serves four year terms. The office is the main agent for various state and local government agencies, providing a wide range of services, including the collection of property taxes, motor vehicle registration and title applications, collection of sales tax, issuance of hunting and fishing license, and changes to driver licenses. The position holds no responsibility for the property tax rates or the other items found on your annual tax bill but it is the duty of the office to make sure that these are collected properly to fund our roads, public services, police departments and schools.
The name of Earl K. Wood has been synonymous with the office of Tax Collector in Orange County for over four decades. Mr. Wood is generally considered a southern gentleman, a term that is not heard often in the world of politics. However, he has come under criticism over the years for his lack of attention to resolving issues discovered in state audits, and his ability to keep pace with technology. One only needs to question, how does Wal-Marts and any other high volume businesses serve thousands of customers every day with a relatively short wait at the check-out line. Yet with few exceptions, the renewal of a tag sticker at one of the local offices can be an afternoon adventure.
This year a new, experienced, challenger has stepped forward to run for the office of Tax Collector. Jim Martin is a long term resident or Orange County and filed his papers to run in early December. When talking with Mr. Martin, you would learn that he has the knowledge, skills and ability to make some much needed changes to office. After graduating from Evans High School he put himself through college. His qualifications now include an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Valencia Community College, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Florida Southern College in Lakeland that he earned while working the Finance Department at Disney. In 1998, Mr. Martin received his Certified Public Manager title from the Florida State University Center for Public Management.
After leaving Disney, he took the position of Executive Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for north and central Florida where he was responsible for the staffing and fundraising. He later returned to his roots and became an Accountant for a hospital, and then assumed position of Comptroller and Assistant Manager of several large hotels. In 1991, he accepted the position with the Florida Department of Transportation, District Five Office. Although originally hired for his accounting skills, his negotiations and management skills soon moved him to the Planning and Public Transportation Office. As the Supervisor of the Intergovernmental Coordination staff, Mr. Martin was instrumental in the development of the budgets for highways and bridges in a nine county region.
One of Mr. Martin’s first contracts with the FDOT was for the I-4 Master Plan. In 2002, he began working with the I-4 Trans4mation Public Office, as a Community and Local Government Liaison. This job has him constantly involved with the interstate and currently his focus is the interchange at I-4 and the East/West Expressway in Downtown Orlando. When he is not working on regional transportation issues, Mr. Martin is serving as a member of the Orange County School Board, a position he was elected to in 2004.
Reprinted from West Orlando News, January 2008
Earl Wood has a
competitor with experience
Orange County School Board member Jim Martin called to say that he is up for the challege. And a challenge it will be. You may remember Bill Donegan declaring in a recent column: "Earl could be dead, and he'd win the election."
Still, Martin says that 44 years in office is enough for the 91-year-old. He has ideas on how to modernize the place and believes residents/voters are eager for just such a thing.
In Martin's favor is that he has a pretty decent reputation. In fact, he's one of only a few Orange County school board members who hasn't found themselves in the midst of controversy or high-profile spats. But Wood and his amicable, grandfather-like ways has fended off many a challenger through the years ... including Donegan.
Martin knows what he faces, but notes that he knocked off former school board chairman Bert Carrier to get his current seat. "I may not be a giant killer," he said, "but I'm up to the challenge."
Reprinted from Orlando Sentinel.com