Jim Overton has a couple of ways to describe his candidacy to lead the Florida Department of Revenue.
Outlier and longshot.
The former property appraiser and City Council president will be interviewed Tuesday by Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet.
Overton, 63, said his private-sector experience, including in the television and film business, makes him the outlier in the field to replace Marshall Stranburg.
The other three candidates have held key positions in state government agencies. Overton’s public service is on the local level — 10 years on council and a dozen years as property appraiser.
The latter is a job Overton had planned to stay in until he was ready to retire, but a 2013 court ruling re-established that constitutional officers are limited to two terms.
“One day I’m driving to my kid’s college and the Supreme Court is taking my job away,” he said, referring to the ruling.
Overton decided to seek the executive director’s job at the Department of Revenue because the ruling cut short his public service career, leaving it unfinished.
“I didn’t have a capstone position as a public servant,” he said. “That’s my personal motivation.”
Overton received a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Florida, something he said he wouldn’t have done if he had been planning to retire from public service.
After leaving the Property Appraiser’s Office, Overton joined the real estate firm, ERA Davis & Linn.
“I’m off to a decent start,” he said of his real estate career. “I’m happy to be doing it.”
Overton’s candidacy for the state job was backed by Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, according to the News Service of Florida. Atwater is a member of the Cabinet.
Other candidates from the 110 applicants being interviewed are:
• Leon Biegalski, deputy secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
• James Evers, an operations consultant for the Department of Economic Opportunity
• Robert McKee, chief economist with the Department of Revenue
Duties for the executive director include collecting and distributing state taxes and child support payments, as well as ensuring counties prepare uniform and equitable property tax rolls, according to a job posting.
The department has a $575 million budget and more than 5,100 employees. The position will pay up to $150,000.
If he gets the job, Overton said he would spend weekdays in Tallahassee and weekends in Jacksonville.
He said he’s not particularly nervous about the interview. His preparation will be simple.
“I’ll put on a coat and tie,” he said.
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