Monterey County, CA — After more than 38 years of dedicated service to Monterey County, including the last 15 years
as the elected Treasurer-Tax Collector, Mary Zeeb on October 27 announced plans to retire effective December 30, 2025.
“When I ran for my fourth term, I fully intended to serve through its completion,” said Zeeb. “However, recent changes in
my life now require my full-time attention. This decision is bittersweet, but I am ready to begin the next chapter of my
life. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Monterey County.”
Throughout Zeeb’s tenure, the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office has remained committed to serving county residents with
compassion, integrity, and exceptional customer service. Most notably, during the COVID pandemic she authored and
recommended changes to the tax code that would allow taxpayers additional time and a waiver of penalty if they were
experiencing a hardship due to the pandemic. This legislative language was adopted and used by the Governor in his
Executive Order allowing all counties to offer these provisions to taxpayers.
Under her leadership, the department has also achieved numerous operational and service improvements and built a
reputation for professionalism and trust. “We constantly strive to bring updated and modern technologies to the office
that benefit both the taxpayer and create efficiencies for the staff” said Zeeb. One of the more challenging programs for
both the Treasurer-Tax Collector and the county has been the implementation of the cannabis program. “There wasn’t a
playbook for how to draft an ordinance and set up a tax payment program.” According to Zeeb “it was a total unknown
and everything had to be created from scratch, but we managed to create a sound ordinance and fair tax collection
processes for the industry”.
Zeeb’s retirement will mark the end of a distinguished public service career spanning nearly four decades. During this
time, she has also worked closely with the schools, special districts, county departments, and the public to safeguard
county funds and ensure efficient, transparent tax collection and treasury operations. “During my tenure as the Treasurer-
Tax Collector we have generated over $500 million dollars in interest earnings on behalf of the schools and public
agencies. And this was during one of the lowest interest rate periods in recent history”. said Zeeb.
“The staff of the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office is an extraordinary team,” Zeeb continued. “They are well-positioned to
carry our mission and values forward, and I have every confidence they will continue to serve the community with
continued dedication and excellence.”
Zeeb also expressed deep gratitude to colleagues, county leaders, and the Monterey County community. “I’ve been
fortunate to work alongside so many dedicated and passionate individuals who share a commitment to serving the public.
I will always cherish the relationships I’ve built and the work we’ve done together. While I am stepping away from my
official role, I look forward to continuing to be part of this community in new ways.”
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