by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
The race for Duval County Tax Collector to replace Lynwood Roberts is on and the candidates vying for the job are as different as they are confident in their abilities to outperform their opponent. One is a veteran politician, while the other is making his first run at public office.
Mike Hogan
Republican candidate Mike Hogan is hopeful that his time serving Jacksonville, first as a City Council member and currently as a State representative, will get him elected. Hogan, a Duval County native, currently resides on the Westside.
“More than anything, I’m looking forward to serving Jacksonville full-time again,” said Hogan. “I feel as though I have a solid understanding of how government works and also of the many laws and agencies. All of these things will only serve to enhance my abilities when I’m in office. This is a great opportunity and I don’t take it lightly.”
Though he spends a great deal of time in Tallahassee, Hogan said he never thought about leaving his current position to devote more time to his current campaign.
“A lot of people approached me and told me that I should resign because it would be easier,” said Hogan. “Well, yes, it would be easier, but not ethical. I’m still very focused and I have some great ground troops working for me on this campaign while I’m in Tallahassee during the week.”
If elected, Hogan plans to increase customer service.
“Hours of operation should be expanded,” Hogan said. “That might mean going to a 10-hour work day or implementing split shifts, but I think it’s important to better serve the people.”
Hogan would also like to improve communication between the staff and the public.
“A lot of times when someone is new to the office, they don’t know where to go,” he said. “Someone should be there to direct them and better explain things.”
John Winkler
Announcing his candidacy back in December, Democratic candidate and tax attorney John Winkler is counting on a different kind of experience to win votes: he has worked for over 20 years as a tax attorney.
“I’m running for this office because I think that the voters have been given a choice, this term, to either vote for a qualified tax professional or a professional politician,” said Winkler. “I have represented the government and private parties in legal tax representation for 22 years.”
Winkler, who is originally from North Carolina, earned his law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Florida. Winkler first went to work as a trial lawyer for District Counsel, IRS in Jacksonville and was also admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. Following his departure from the IRS, he went into private practice representing clients before the IRS, the Florida Department of Revenue and Bankruptcy Court.
“In addition to being a tax attorney, I also have experience running a business and managing people,” he said.
In addition to his legal qualifications, Winkler is co-founder and CFO of American Electrical Contracting, Inc.
Although facing his first election, Winkler already has some ideas about what he would like to accomplish.
“I believe that the hours of operation should be extended at many of the branches through the county,” said Winkler. “They should be open earlier and later. None are open on Saturday.”
Winkler suggested that a flextime program could be installed to make that a reality.
“I’d also like to see better communication with the City Council and administration,” he said. “We could develop a better budget for the office and also take a look at some of the technological advancements that have been made. With the right technology you will be able to do more with less after an initial capital investment.”