County of Monterey Congratulates Retiring Assessor-Clerk Recorder for 35 Years of Public Service

 

On Friday, December 30, 2022, Monterey County Assessor - County Clerk Recorder Stephen L.

Vagnini will officially retire after 35 years of public service. To maintain continuity of service,

after his official retirement, Vagnini will immediately swear in his successor, Marina Camacho,

who has served as Assistant Assessor the last 6 years and was elected to the office in November.

Vagnini was first elected in 2001 and successfully ran unopposed for three subsequent four-year

terms, then won an additional election for a total of five terms in office.

In addition to his duties as an elected official, Vagnini was active in many other aspects of local

government, chairing several County committees such as the Cost Savings Committee, the

Department Head Training Advisory Committee, the Department Head GIS Committee and the

Department Head Committee on Succession Planning. He also served as the Chair of the

Department Council for 12 years. The Cost Savings Committee was created as an alternative to

layoffs during tough budget times 20 years ago and resulted in numerous efficiencies in printing,

energy consumption, vehicle usage and purchasing.

Looking back at his years in office, Vagnini says when he was first elected, the local assessed

valuation of the County of Monterey was just over $30 Billion, it is currently just over $79

Billion now and that figure does not include over $3 Billion in property tax emptions. Revenues

generated from property taxes currently bring in over $800 million per year. The County of

Monterey receives approximately 15% of those revenues, which account for over 70% of the

County’s discretionary spending. Property taxes also fund local school districts, fire districts,

municipalities, and various other special districts.

“It is not the function of the Assessor to raise revenue but rather to ensure that all property

owners are treated fairly and equitably and that we abide and enact the laws of the California

Constitution and the California Revenue & Taxation Code,” Explains Vagnini. In keeping with

that key role, during the peak of the recission in 2011, the Assessor’s office proactively lowered

the value of over 35,000 properties, removing $6 Billion of assessed value from the tax rolls.

Vagnini was presented a Ceremonial Resolution by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.

In the words of Supervisor Wendy Root Askew, “Steve is one of the most constituent oriented

public officials that I have ever encountered...he set the bar very high for the rest of us.”