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Commissioner of the Revenue: Bath candidates
Mary Ann Bogan: Seeking first term
BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
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WARM SPRINGS- Mary Ann Bogan is running for Bath County Commissioner of the Revenue because she enjoys working in the courthouse. "I like to work for the public," she said. "Having worked in the courthouse for 22 years (with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency), I miss that type of work and would like to get back into it … All the things that they do in that office I like to do. I like to work with figures and assist the public."
Bogan said she would be fair, have an open door policy and believes the customer is always right.
"You can agree to disagree," she said. "But when you work for the public you have to keep in mind that they are the ones you are here to serve … I would always like to make everything satisfactory for a customer before they left the office to the point where they didn't leave mad."
She said she has the experience that would make her a good commissioner of the revenue. Bogan has prepared tax forms, determined acreage while working with the department of agriculture, and worked with the equalization board during the last reassessment three years ago.
"I prefer the six-year assessment because reassessments mean raising people's taxes," she said. "Taxes are always going to be higher."
She gained check writing and ledger experience with FSA farm programs. Before that, Bogan worked for an appliance and repair shop doing billing and collections.
She handles money at the treasurer's office and health department. She has also worked for Bill Bratton Auction Services as a cashier.
With years at the courthouse, she said, Bogan has learned a few things about what the other offices in the building do. She said duties of the commissioner of the revenue include property assessment and running tax tickets for real estate and personal property. The office has to implement laws and regulations passed by the state and local governments, such as tax relief for the elderly and land-use regulations. The commissioner works with the treasurer's office on taxes and with the circuit court clerk for deeds and transfers of property.
"Some things you would have to look up in the Code of Virginia to find out (what to do)," she said.
Bogan said periodic audits of the office determine its compliance with the law. "You would have to prove everything was assessed equally and taxes were filed legally," she said. As far as she knows, everything was accurate and up to date on the latest commissioner audit.
Bogan said the commissioner hires a firm to come in and assess property. "You get a reassessment, you have so many days to question the company, then you go before a local equalization board," she said. "You have to justify why you think they were wrong. Some (people) brought in a bank appraisal and used that as a comparison.
"We were given a briefing (on the board of equalization) before we did it. We had to be fair and equal," said Bogan.
Equitable treatment should extend to employees, too, said Bogan. "I think that everybody that works in an office should be treated equal, including duties and time off," she said. "I would put in a day's work and expect my help to do the same."
Commenting on her management style, Bogan said, "I like to keep busy, so I would like for my help to keep busy. I like for people to show up on time for work. If (employees are) not meeting expectations - I would go over guidelines, give them a time period to meet expectations - and if they didn't meet it, then I would have to dismiss them. I've never had to do that."
Her weaknesses as a leader, she said, include not being able to say no, wanting to try to fix everything for everybody, and being too helpful. "If somebody came in and had a problem that didn't have anything pertaining to the commissioner of the revenue, I would be tempted to help them," she said. "It's hard not to help people if they come in at the last minute."
She had helpers and substitutes work for her at FSA.
At the commissioner of the revenue's office she would have two people working for her, just as it is now. "I would think you would want to keep the same number that were previously working in that office," she said.
She reserves the right to change personnel, however. "I will make that decision if elected. You never know; the ones in there might not want to work for you."
To prepare for office, Bogan said she would attend the initial training required of all new commissioners. She would also take some computer and tax classes.
She couldn't quantify the amount of time she has spent learning about the duties of commissioner, she said. "Growing up in the county and working in the courthouse, I have a general idea of what the commissioner of the revenue does," she said. "The No. 1 job is to serve the public and citizens of the county."
Bogan said she has nothing in her personal or business life that would create a conflict of interest. She said a conflict arises "if you have an interest in something that would pertain to your job or your family that would create a conflict with your job. I've never had any conflict."
Bogan said she understands citizens' rights under Virginia's Freedom of Information Act. "If somebody requests information under FOIA, you have so many days to respond. Tax information is confidential, but assessment of property is in a book and open to the public. If somebody came in and wanted something, but I didn't know for sure if they could have it, they would have to wait and I would get back to them after I found out the answer. In every job I've ever had, there is some confidentiality involved - Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers - some things you can't always give to the public when they want it."
Bogan wants to work for Bath County government. If elected commissioner, she would be able to continue to serve the people of the county and would be happy to do things similar to what she has been doing for more than two decades, she said. But running for office is new territory for her. "I would appreciate the voters supporting me," she said.
About the candidate • Mary Ann Bogan
• Age: 60
• Lives in Warm Springs, married to William Bogan; has two sons, a daughter and five grandchildren.
• Graduated from Valley High School in 1965. Attended real estate academy in 2003, received farm program and computer training while working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency.
• Bogan is a substitute for the Bath County treasurer's office and health department, prior to that she worked 22 years for the FSA as an office clerk and program assistant.
• Bogan has volunteered with the Bath County Good Samaritan Organization for 15 years - they give Christmas gifts to people in need - mostly money for fuel, electricity or medicine. She is a member of the Bath County retirement home commission and has helped people fill out student-loan applications.
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