Delaware County Treasurer Don Rankey Jr. has announced his intention to seek reelection for a second term. In a press release last week, Rankey said he aims to continue “looking out for the taxpayers” of the county.

“It’s been an absolute privilege to serve Delaware County in my first term,” Rankey said. “We’ve made an incredible amount of progress in transforming the treasurer’s office from a staid county office to one that operates like an efficient business. I’ve worked hard to defend the rights and tax dollars of the citizens of Delaware County.

“My first term was all about the ‘ups.’ I was the upstart candidate. I took over an office that badly needed upgrades and updates. The upswing started the day I took office, and in the process, we created an upbeat operation that Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague has called a model for every county treasurer in the state.”

Rankey lists the creation of an investment division among his most important achievements during his first term. With the creation of the division, Rick Karr was hired to serve as chief investment officer. According to the release, the two helped bring in at least $26.3 million in investment income to Delaware County.

“The investment portfolio is already guaranteed to deliver $7 million in interest income for 2024,” Rankey said. “Our additional investments and cash management throughout next year should equal the total of 2023, with no loss of investment principal. Under my predecessors, the average yearly investment income was between $2-4 million. Rick’s expertise is invaluable in helping me make investment decisions that benefit the citizens of Delaware County. Hiring Rick was a sound investment that has helped return huge dividends for the taxpayers.”

Rankey identified the creation of the Revenue Recovery Division as another move that has returned dividends to the county through the collection of delinquent property taxes, some of which have been delinquent since 2007. In the release, Rankey said when he took office in 2021, there were more than 1,390 delinquent parcels in Delaware County that owed more than $13 million.

“We had parcels that had been delinquent for 14 years, and nobody was going after that tax money,” he said. “We hired Jeff Jordan to head that division and we quickly, but fairly, began collecting delinquent property taxes that our schools and fire departments rely on for operating funds. The delinquencies are now less than 1%, which is a historic low for Delaware County.”

Other accomplishments Rankey listed include modernizing the security of the office, transitioning bank services to JP Morgan Chase, creating a safe process for transporting funds to the bank, and completing a “badly needed” reorganization of staff and upgrade of salaries.

“Since 2000, Delaware County has been one of the fastest growing counties in the country,” Rankey said. “We estimate our county’s population to be 226,296. Between 2010-23, the population increased by 30%. We have more than 94,000 parcels today, and that figure is projected to reach nearly 105,000 by 2028. I have installed the mechanisms to handle that increased workload without a significant increase in personnel.”

Rankey went on to note he has been a strong advocate for repealing — or at least delaying — the triannual property tax increase that is going to “greatly impact” Delaware County’s senior citizens. He also has advocated for an increase in the Ohio Homestead Exemption to help ensure seniors can stay in their homes amid climbing tax rates.

“At a time when Delaware County is growing significantly, the treasurer must be a leader in the community,” Rankey said. “I have not been the kind of treasurer who just sits in his office at the county building all day. I’ve actively met with developers and business leaders so that the treasurer becomes a valuable resource to the community.”

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.