Where Rick Stands
Issues & Priorities
Rick's focus is simple: value property fairly, run a lean and modern office, keep county finances transparent, and help residents understand what the auditor actually does.
Priority 1
Fair Property Values
Accurate, fair valuations - and honesty about what the auditor does and does not control.
Priority 2
Efficient Government
Doing more with less through technology - without layoffs or cuts to service.
Priority 3
Transparency
Clear, online access to county spending, property records, and tax information.
Property Taxes & the 2024 Reappraisal
The 2024 sexennial reappraisal raised Erie County residential values an average of 28.92%, according to Ohio Department of Taxation data, and many residents are frustrated. The most important thing to understand is this: the auditor sets property values, not tax rates. Tax rates come from levies passed by voters and the budgets of schools, townships, and other taxing bodies. The auditor's job is to value every property accurately and fairly, and then distribute the taxes that are collected.
Statewide Property Tax Reform
As a member of the leadership team of the County Auditors' Association of Ohio (CAAO) - currently 2nd Vice President - Rick has been an advocate for responsible tax reform that considers the people affected: the taxpayers. The five pieces of legislation passed last year and effective March 20, 2026 are a good start, but more needs to be done. As Rick sees it, none of us like to pay taxes, but we do want good schools, safe communities with police and fire protection, roads without potholes, and reliable water and sewer service. The work is to balance real relief for homeowners with the services residents count on.
Efficient, Modern Government
Rick's core differentiator is doing more with less. When he took office there were 21 employees; as of June 2026 the office has 14 budgeted employees - about a one-third reduction through software and process improvements, with no layoffs and no drop in service. As people leave on their own, jobs are combined rather than refilled. The office uses AI-assisted analysis of aerial imagery to flag likely new construction for field checks, replacing blanket canvassing, and flies the county twice a year with full coverage including Kelleys Island.
Transparency Tools
The auditor's office puts public information directly in residents' hands: an online property search, GIS maps with flood, soil, and wetland overlays, the Open Checkbook spending and payroll portal, a property tax estimator, an unclaimed funds search, and online filing for the homestead exemption and other tax relief. Rick believes taxpayers deserve clear, easy access to how their money is valued, collected, and spent.
What Does the Auditor Do?
Most residents never learn what the auditor's office actually handles. As the county's chief fiscal officer, the office values all real property, distributes tax dollars to schools and local governments, administers weights and measures (the scales and pumps you rely on every day), issues dog and vendor licenses, and serves as secretary to the Board of Revision and the Budget Commission. Rick wants a better-informed public, because informed residents make for better government.
Workforce & Local Education
Rick is a strong believer in the Firelands education pipeline - EHOVE for skilled trades, BGSU Firelands, and transition paths to BGSU's main campus. As new investment comes to the county, he wants local students to be ready for the careers that follow, and he is encouraging local institutions to engage on that opportunity.
"Doing the right thing - even when no one is looking."
Rick wants to hear from you. Contact him directly, volunteer, or request a yard sign.