I have worked with our elected officials at Marshall County for 14 years and call many of them my friends. That is why writing this is one of the most difficult things I have done. When service to the people is declining, it is the duty of leadership to communicate what is going on, no matter how difficult the conversation. While I have my allegiances to conservative principles and values, I cannot turn a “Republican blind eye” to the administration of the Auditor/Recorder’s Office. I am endorsing independent candidate Joel Oliva for Marshall County Auditor/Recorder.

We have seen delays with the Auditor’s Office completing valuations in a timely and legal manner to allow taxing authorities maximum time to conduct their budgetary process. The TIF calculation by the Auditor’s Office for the City of Marshalltown was off by nearly a half million dollars last year, shorting funds available to the city’s general fund. This collection year, the Auditor’s Office calculated the Iowa Ag Land credit incorrectly. I’ve witnessed areas of professionalism and confidentiality not meeting an expected standard. This is not a criticism of the staff in the Auditor/Recorder’s office. This is a call for a leadership change at the top and Joel Oliva is ready to lead.

I met Joel after church this past summer. I was very impressed by him as a person and his talents after he shared with me his background and what brought him to Marshalltown. While he is running as an independent, he holds values of fiscal responsibility and a desire of growth and prosperity for our families. He has an educational background in management, accounting and cybersecurity. These strengths are vital to managing various areas of the Auditor and Recorder’s Offices. Joel will be able to manage the tax calculations and valuation processes efficiently with collaboration alongside county departments and state agencies. With the many risks and threats to computer systems, Joel’s expertise in cybersecurity will be vital to the future protections of our elections in Marshall County. Lastly, Joel is here to serve others. He is passionate about the community of Marshalltown and he is compassionate for the people. He desires to use his gifts to benefit others. I believe public service is where he is called to be. I encourage you to join me in voting for Independent Joel Oliva for Marshall County Auditor and Recorder on November 5th.