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A Few Words About the Treasurer-Tax Collector
The mission of the Marin County Treasurer-Tax Collector-Public Administrator's Office is to provide a responsive, efficient, and professional approach in serving our community
and to inspire trust and confidence in our work.
The Treasurer-Tax
Collector-Public Administrator is an appointed position. The mandate of the
office is to receive, safeguard and invest County, schools and special district
funds, to collect taxes and revenues, and to administer and settle estates
for County residents.
The principal duties
of the department include the management and investment of County, Schools, and Special District funds, Bond Administration, and
the collection of over $400 million in taxes and revenues. Collections include
real property taxes, supplemental taxes, transient occupancy taxes, business
licenses, and central collections for County departments.
The office also
acts as Public Administrator in probating estates for county residents who
have passed away without a will, and available relative or when appointed
as administrator by the courts. Additionally, the County Treasurer is a
key figure in county financing, is on the County Employees Retirement Board
of Directors, chairs the County Employees Deferred Compensation Program
and chairs the Marin Housing Authority's Residential Loan Committee.
Marin County Treasurer Tax-Collector
Responsibilities
under the Government, Professional, Probate, and Streets & Highways
Codes to act as the depository for county, school districts and special
districts' funds. The Treasurer is responsible for the investment of these
agency's funds in a pooled investment program. Investments are made under the
Treasurer's direction in accordance with the Government Code and the Treasurer's
Statement of Investment Policy. This Division also reconciles over 21,000
checks and warrants each month. In addition, the Treasurer administers the
collection and payment to bond holders for 1911 and 1915 Act Improvement
Bonds within the County and under contract with certain cities. Additionally,
the Treasurer is a key participant in County financing, is on the County
Employees Retirement Board of Directors, chairs the County's Employees Deferred
Compensation Program and chairs the Marin Housing Authority's Residential
Loan Committee.
The treasurer's
staff, with the programming assistance provided by the data processing department,
is now performing a daily reconciliation of County and school issued checks
against paid items by downloading bank data into our reconciliation program.
This was a month end activity. Considering we reconcile some 21,000 checks
monthly, the daily reconciliation provides us with improved controls in
managing accounts.
We are proud to
report our Treasurer's investment pool rating by Fitch Investor Service
continues with the AAA rating and that our pool was the first ever public
fund to be rated across the United States.
Central Collections
Established
in April 1994, the Tax Collector's duties were expanded to include Central
Collections for criminal justice accounts. These accounts include the Public
Defender services, Juvenile Hall detention fees, Sheriff booking fees, Health
Permit fees, Municipal Court returned checks, County Clerk fees and County
Jail booking fees. The Collection's Unit was further expanded as a collections
service for all county departments to include billing County
accounts receivables. Revenue recovered by Central Collections is credited
back to departments.
Public Administrator
When a Marin County resident dies, the Public Administrator is mandated by law to safeguard the decedent's assets and to manage the affairs of the decedent's estate if a relative or other appropriate person having priority of appointment over the Public Administration is unable or unwilling to act. Roy Given is the appointed Public Administrator of Marin County.
The Public Administrator has the same authority as any other personal representative and is referred to as "administrator" rather than executor when appointed by the Court.
The duties of the Public Administrator include, but are not limited to:
- Searching for heirs and safeguarding the decedent's property;
- Providing for internment of a deceased person when there are no known relatives;
- Notifying creditors and paying decedent's bills and taxes;
- Managing and selling real and personal property;
- Distribution of any remaining assets to heirs.
Marin County Code - Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax
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