KZYX, Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The TKO show, hosted by Karen Ottoboni. Guest: Fifth District Supervisor Ted Williams.
Ottoboni: The whole discussion about, they had, was it two years ago? About two years ago? I don’t know. You combined the Tax Collector and Auditor’s office. Now, did I hear and follow, see that you’re gonna actually, that they’re going to actually make a proposal to separate those departments again? Is that actually going to —?
Williams: It’s already underway. It’s happening.
Ottoboni: It is underway? Ok. Now, that’s going to be a voter – we have to vote on that, correct? How’s that going to take…? Tell me the process. How is that going to happen?
Williams: Um, the public will be able to vote for an Auditor-Controller and a Treasurer Tax Collector. It will be like the old days. Moving forward.
Ottoboni: Don’t we have to vote to separate them?
Williams: No. I don’t believe so. There’s some other— There’s some other way those officers can be structured that would require a vote. But not that I understand. The board combined them and can uncombine them.
Ottoboni: OK, because I had heard somewhere a mention that we would have to have a vote to un— unconsolidate them and then vote on who we wanted in those departments. OK, this is— I will be following that. Do we have any idea when that’s going to be, would that be on the June ballot? November ballot? Do we know?
Williams: I’m hopeful – I’m hopeful that– it is so far removed from my hands. You know, people have to fight for some of these things. One supervisor has no authority. I can’t by myself do anything, right?
Ottoboni: I know. I know. Yeah.
Williams: But even three of us, the majority, can’t always do what needs to be done. Or, you know. What’s really frustrating is that, you know, we have the authority and we, we pass it and it’s unanimous and then, you know, sometime later, we’re asking why hasn’t it happened yet and you find out that there’s this whole cascade of problems that one person— It’s like you brought up getting rid of the surplus property [including the Anderson Valley Senior Center/Veterans Hall]. We’ve been talking about that for years.
Ottoboni: Oh yeah. No, no no. I know.
Williams: Each property we gave staff to go look at the found – you know, there was a waterline or a sewer line over the boundary. And, you know. These properties were developed with neighboring properties as if it would always be one. And so, and there may be deed restrictions, and having to figure out the whole history of who do we have the right to sell it or transfer it? Not, not so easy. I think when the board took those actions, we thought, OK, we were voting on this and get a report next month or next quarter that it’s complete. Pretty much nothing in the, um, the county system is like that.
Ottoboni: Yeah. Things do move very very slowly at the county level. I will be looking forward, um, to seeing those departments – in my humble opinion– seeing those separated because I think, uh, from what I’ve seen and from the stats I’ve seen, the county has really got to be more aggressive about bringing in property taxes and getting the whole property tax system straightened out because I’m hearing that there hasn’t been a sale of delinquent properties in— I can’t remember how many years but it’s been at least five or six, maybe seven years I heard.
Williams: I think the last was 2019.
Ottoboni: Yeah. OK. So we are getting up there. That used to be something that was a regular, um, a regular annual thing that would happen. I remember seeing it posted, the lots that were for sale, and the lots that were delinquent in the Ukiah Daily Journal they were posted every once every – just before– they actually legally have to post it. So they would post it. But I would tell you that the reports I would get back would be that once you put them in the foreclosure state that gets people off the dime and gets them into the office and pay up. I think that, I heard, I don’t know if it’s true, isn’t it about $30 million outstanding property taxes?
Williams: That’s what I’ve heard. I’m a little bit jaded. I hear numbers and then they – but don’t quote me on that. I did hear that. However many millions it is, there’s some road money.
Ottoboni: Oh,yeah! Totally!
Williams: Last year, I can’t remember if it was February or March, I tried to get $1 million into our budget for roads. Not to repave. You’re not going to repave with $1 million, but just some better repairs and just spread across the county. We couldn’t even come up with $1 million. Imagine if we could find $5 or $10 million in properties that we can auction. That’s some serious roadwork. And I hope that’s where the money goes. End of the day.
Ottoboni: Yeah. No. I heard the $30 million, I don’t know that anybody has a, has a – maybe they’ve got an accurate number, but it’s around that. I just know that there hasn’t been any sales – I know that lets people, um, current, you know, take advantage of the system sometimes and let it lag and so, yeah. Unfortunately, if we do have to start doing sales, the real estate market is kind of starting to drop in Mendocino County. At least in the outlying areas where probably a lot of these properties are. So…
Williams: Some of them were probably good to grow cannabis, but what else are you going to do with it? I imagine those are a lot of the properties on the rolls. People walking away.
Ottoboni: I’ve heard a lot of that. I’ve seen properties unbelievably cheap east of Laytonville and up in southern Humboldt. So your rural outlying properties are starting to drop phenomenally in prices. Yeah, that’s true. That’s going on.
Background:
The Tax Collection Mess: Escapes And Delinquents
Supervisors To Consider Reversing Auditor-Treasurer Consolidation
Mark Scaramella Notes: Last October then-Board chair John Haschak promised to have an agenda item proposing “deconsolidation” for the Board to vote on in mid-November to allow for time for two elected positions to be on the June ballot. No such item has been brought forward by Haschak or anyone else. This means that the County will miss the June ballot to vote on the separated positions. Whether they will get around to it in time for November remains speculative. Or, in Supervisor Williams’ immortal words: “It’s already underway. It’s happening.”
TT Travesty Ted, at least he;’s consistent with his acronym;
“One supervisor has no authority. I can’t by myself do anything, right?” Well he pretty much single handedly spearheaded the whole Cubbison fiasco, then he retreats to this lame BS to cover his tracks!
And; on Delinquent rural properties;”Williams: Some of them were probably good to grow cannabis, but what else are you going to do with it? I imagine those are a lot of the properties on the rolls. People walking away”Skyhawk: Well if you can find even one Legacy Grower who thinks the County was helpful, with the cannabis legalizing process, stop the presses!! And I remember at a cannabis forum, in Comptche, when we were both running on 2018, he said he would get the County application down to 1 page and a $25 fee, I hope the voters kick his nose out of the county trough!!