What they do: The Pima County treasurer oversees the county’s finances and collect taxes.
Who can vote: All voters in Pima County can vote in the treasurer’s race.
This year’s race: Longtime Treasurer Beth Ford retired this year. The Democratic primary features two candidates, while the Republican candidate is running unopposed.
Moving on: Six-term Pima County Treasurer Beth Ford is ready to retire and won’t be seeking reelection, Nintzel reports. Ford, a Republican, has held the office since 2000 and modernized many aspects of the office during her tenure. Ford's chief deputy, former GOP state lawmaker Chris Ackerley, plans to run for the office with Ford saying she recruited Ackerley away from a career in teaching about a year ago to join the office, in the hopes that she could ensure he’d be ready for the job.
"I was a recovering politician," Ackerley said. "I mean, obviously, I have an interest in public policy and public service." (July 12, 2023)
Whoops: A new state law is raising property taxes in the Continental school district, even though legislators didn’t mean for that to happen, Pima County Treasurer Beth Ford said in a news release. The error also affects the Altar Valley, Empire, Reddington, and San Fernando elementary school districts.
“The Legislature was trying to adjust how school districts with high schools are reimbursed by elementary-only school districts when students in the elementary districts start attending high school,” Ford said. “Unfortunately, based on the state’s complicated method of funding public schools through property taxes, the law of unintended consequences is causing tax increases in some school districts.” (Tucson Agenda) (September 6, 2023)
Ford says farewell: Pima County Treasurer Beth Ford will step down next month and she wants her chief deputy to replace her, the Tucson Sentinel’s Dylan Smith and Jim Nintzel report. If the Pima County Board of Supervisors decide to appoint her deputy, Chris Ackerley, it could boost his name recognition and give him a leg up in the election. Ackerley, a Republican like Ford, is one of three candidates who’ve filed to run for treasurer, alongside Democrats Brian Johnson and Sami Hamed. (March 15)
The supervisors are weighing their options as they pick the next County Treasurer. Tomorrow they’ll decide whether to schedule a forum so the public can hear from the people who want to replace outgoing Treasurer Beth Ford. Voters won’t decide who replaces Ford, but last year the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson held a forum so the public could weigh in on who would be the best fit to replace Supervisor Sharon Bronson when she resigned (that ended up being Supervisor Sylvia Lee). At the March 19 meeting, Supervisor Steve Christy urged the board to appoint Ford’s handpicked successor, her deputy Chris Ackerley, who also is running for the seat this year. The board opted for a more deliberative process instead. The two candidates besides Ackerley are Patti E. Davidson and Ray Carroll, the county said in a news release Friday. Davidson is a chief deputy at the Treasurer’s Office and Carroll is a former county supervisor who now serves as a justice of the peace in Green Valley. The supervisors plan to appoint Ford’s replacement on April 16. (Tucson Agenda) (April 1)
One big question: Tucson Sentinel columnist Blake Morlock questions the wisdom of holding a public forum for the three applicants vying to replace retiring Pima County Treasurer Beth Ford. The treasurer job needs to be done right, but treasurers don’t make policy. Morlock’s recommendation: Ask the candidates if they have any idea what a county treasurer actually does. If nobody does, then the supervisors should just appoint Patti Davidson, the former chief deputy in the office who already threw her hat in the ring. (April 2)
Last two standing: Green Valley Justice of the Peace Ray Carroll is no longer in the running to replace Beth Ford as Pima County Treasurer, after withdrawing his name from consideration Wednesday, the Tucson Sentinel’s Dylan Smith writes. Ford is stepping down April 12. Supervisors will now decide whether to appoint Chris Ackerley or Patti Davidson to serve out the remainder of Ford’s term, which ends on Dec. 31. Ackerley is the current chief deputy at the Treasurer’s Office and Davidson used to hold the position. In Carroll’s letter to supervisors, he said Davidson was “highly qualified” for the position. (April 4)
Forum tonight: You can hear from the two applicants trying to be the next Pima County Treasurer at a public forum tonight hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson, the county said in a news release. Chris Ackerley and Patti Davidson are vying to replace Treasurer Beth Ford, who is resigning this week. The forum, which allows attendees to ask questions of the applicants, will be online only tonight at 6 p.m. You can read their resumes and letters of interest here. (April 11)
The political mini-drama over who will be the next county treasurer comes to a close today, or at least the first chapter of it. The supervisors will appoint a replacement for Treasurer Beth Ford, who is retiring this week. There’s been a lot of political wrangling over this one for weeks now. Ford wants her deputy, Chris Ackerley, to replace her. But Ackerley also is running for the full four-year term and getting appointed could give him an advantage over other candidates. So the supervisors set up an appointment process, which is down to Ackerley and Patti Davidson, a former deputy in the treasurer’s office. Ford said Davidson wouldn’t be the best fit, mainly because she hasn’t worked there since 2016. County Assessor Suzanne Droubie echoed that reasoning in a letter to the board, while Brian Johnson, who is running against Ackerley, took issue with Droubie “interjecting herself in the process.” (Tucson Agenda) (April 16)
New treasurer in town: Pima County supervisors appointed Chris Ackerley as the new county treasurer Tuesday, by a vote of 3-2, the Green Valley News’ Kim Smith reports. Supervisors Matt Heinz and Adelita Grijalva opposed the appointment, with Grijalva expressing concerns about appointing someone who planned to run for the position. Ackerley will finish former Treasurer Beth Ford’s term, which ends Dec. 31, but is also running for the permanent position in the November election. (April 17)
New treasurer in town: Pima County supervisors appointed Chris Ackerley as the new county treasurer Tuesday, by a vote of 3-2, the Green Valley News’ Kim Smith reports. Supervisors Matt Heinz and Adelita Grijalva opposed the appointment, with Grijalva expressing concerns about appointing someone who planned to run for the position. Ackerley will finish former Treasurer Beth Ford’s term, which ends Dec. 31, but is also running for the permanent position in the November election. (April 18)
Treasurer talk: Come watch ****a debate, moderated by Curt, between the two Democratic candidates for Pima County Treasurer on Saturday. Sami Hamed and Brian Johnson are vying to be the Democratic candidate to face Republican Chris Ackerley in the November general election. You can get tickets at the Democrats of Greater Tucson website. (June 7)