Joe Lonergan (Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer, Washington, candidate 2024)

Joe Lonergan

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 6, 2024

Education

High school

Tacoma Baptist High School

Bachelor's

Eastern Washington University, 1999

Personal

Birthplace

Seattle, Wash.

Religion

Christian

Contact

Campaign website

Personal LinkedIn

Joe Lonergan ran for election to the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer in Washington. He was on the ballot in the primary on August 6, 2024.^[source]

Lonergan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Joe Lonergan provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on July 8, 2024:

• Birth date: January 17, 1977
• Birth place: Seattle, Washington
• High school: Tacoma Baptist High School (Now Sound Christian Academy)
• Bachelor's: Eastern Washington University, 1999
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Christian
• Prior offices held:
  • Tacoma City Council (2010-2017)
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: Trusted to Keep Taxes Fair.
• Campaign website

Elections

General election

General election for Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer

Marty Campbell and Kent D. Keel ran in the general election for Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Marty Campbell (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Kent D. Keel (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer

Marty Campbell, Kent D. Keel, and Joe Lonergan ran in the primary for Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Marty Campbell (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Kent D. Keel (Nonpartisan)
		Joe Lonergan (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Lonergan in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Joe Lonergan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lonergan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’ve lived in Pierce County for more than 40 years. I got married to my wife Beth in 2001 and we purchased our home in Southeast Tacoma where we are raising two wonderful young men.

I received my degree in business Administration from Eastern Washington University with majors in marketing and management. After graduation, I worked for nearly a decade as an Advertising Account Executive before being elected to two terms on the Tacoma City Council. During my eight years on the Council, I worked closely with communities throughout Pierce County as Chair of the South Sound 911 Policy Board and chair of the Pierce County Regional Council. I was also an active member of the Pierce County Cities and Towns Association. Additionally, I served as chair of the Government Performance and Finance Committee for the City of Tacoma.

I am proud to have the strong and enthusiastic support of the senior management team in the Assessor-Treasurer's office as well as the current Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer. They all know that I am the best candidate to continue leading this award-winning team.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• It is important that we maintain fair property taxes for the people of Pierce County. This means that we need to be consistent and accurate in the valuation of properties and precision in the application of taxing rates. The professional appraisers of the Assessor-Treasurer's office work hard to maintain a level of expertise through certifications and continuing education. It is key that we make sure our people have access to the most current practices and tools.
• The Assessor-Treasurer's office is a source of valuable information accessed regularly by the people throughout our community. Property taxes are complex and comprised of many moving pieces from dozens of taxing districts and state laws. Making the information about this system easy to find, understand, and utilize is important. Continued innovation and improvement in these areas are the key to transparency and will help property owners by giving them clear real-time access to the information they seek. Utilizing feedback from key stakeholders and users we can continue to get better every day in this area.
• The Assessor-Treasurer works for the taxpayer and an important source of information for legislators, the media, and the public. I will continue to be a strong voice for limiting the growing property taxes. Property taxes are a part of the challenging landscape of housing affordability. While the Assessor-Treasurer does not set tax rates, they are a trusted information source for those who do. I will work with cities, towns, the county, school districts, fire districts, park districts, and other policy makers as the property tax subject matter expert to help them find ways to make housing more affordable. It is imperative that we have a trustworthy, fair, and thoughtful individual working for you in this role.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Broadly I am interested in public safety policy and providing the best and most effective government services possible. This is not a policy position, but does have the opportunity to offer input to policy makers at the state and local legislative levels (such as the state legislature, city and county councils, and school, fire, parks, and other taxing districts). I am interested in making sure that taxes remain fair for all taxpayers by fairly and accurately appraising properties and apportioning the taxing districts' policies (taxes) in accordance with state law. This includes making sure that those who qualify for exemptions and reductions appropriate for their situation.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my dad. He has always been an example of a hardworking, smart, caring man who chose to help people and organizations through non-profit and elected public service work rather than chase the dollars he could have made elsewhere. He is a true public servant and I aspire to that each and every day. He taught me that we leave things better than we found them.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Important character qualities for an elected official include honesty, trustworthiness, kindness, and compassion. Competency and experience are important as well. No person is going to walk into a new-to-them role and know everything they need to know - all of that can be learned. Character generally exists in an adult.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am both people and task oriented. I have a strong understanding of systems and helping people make the most efficient use of systems. I am passionate about helping people and improving outcomes. I operate with a high level of integrity and strive to be kind and compassionate at every turn. I eagerly seek out information that will help improve life for those around me.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The Assessor-Treasurer must follow the laws as laid out by the state in regards to property valuation, timing of communication and valuation, and most of the functions of this office. It is vital to have someone in this office that can help manage that, make course corrections if we fall behind in an area, etc. It is also vitally important to have a strong customer service background because ultimately, this office is about providing the best possible service to the people we serve. These customers include, but are not limited to taxpayers, property owners, real estate professionals, government agencies (taxing districts), and more.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to leave the Assessor-Treasurer's office better than I found it. That means that we are doing more to reach our community, make property taxes less mysterious, and have improved partnerships with taxpayers, legislators, and other stakeholders.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was aware of the events of 1984 when President Ronald Reagan was re-elected in an election that saw him win 49 of 50 states. I was seven at that time and my father was running for U.S. Congress. I didn't fully understand much about the Presidential race at that time, but remember hearing it was historic.
My first event recollection outside of that was probably the Challenger Shuttle disaster in 1986. It was a little more than a week after my ninth birthday that we watched the shuttle launch and subsequent tragedy.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a paper carrier for my neighborhood back when kids could do that kind of work. I was able to take my route that included about 100 homes from a few dozen subscribers to about 80 with hard work and a promise-kept of excellent customer service.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I really enjoyed Beyond Fear, a book most have never even heard of. It is a story of two young men who traveled across New Guinea through rivers, swamps, jungle, and the most remote mountains in the world. It is a great story of faith, adventure, struggle, and conquering fear to complete a goal.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I struggle with self-promotion. I strive to do the right thing with humility and to honor those around me who also had a hand in making things happen.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I haven't pursued many endorsements from traditional political sources, but I have several community leaders that have offered their support. These leaders are from diverse political backgrounds including democrats, republicans, and independents. My proudest endorsements, after my lovely wife, are the people doing the work in the Assessor-Treasurer's office; the senior management team, many of the current employees, and several former employees are committed to using their time and resources to support our campaign. It is a true honor that they believe I am the best person to continue the award-winning momentum of this office because they are the ones doing the work each and every day.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency and government accountability are key to the successful building of trust between government and those it serves. The Assessor-Treasurer's office works hard to make sure taxpayers have a detailed look at how the numbers for their property tax are compiled and gives information on which taxing districts are charging what rates and how much of those taxes are voted by levy or other property tax measure.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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