Gary Orso’s attempt to create the impression that I want people to believe I was a county assessor is totally without merit. The plain reading of the whole sentence in my ballot statement “Assessor 20 years on the State Board of Equalization” is nothing close to a county assessor. Though my response needs no further clarification, because Mr. Orso asked, let me add a few more details for his benefit.
For 20 years as an elected member of the State Board of Equalization, one of my functions was as an assessor of local property. The properties were not in just one county, but located in more than 50 counties.
Additionally, board members write the property assessment rules and audit all the county assessor offices. I wrote the Proposition 13 implementation rules and the California Taxpayers Bill of Rights. As one publication put it, “Ernie Dronenburg is supremely overqualified.” Unlike my opponent, my experience is not just in government. For half my working career I was an industrial engineer, business owner and tax partner with a top national accounting firm.
Former San Diego Assessor Greg Smith, the San Diego Treasurer/Tax Collector Dan McAllister, the San Diego Union-Tribune, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association have endorsed my candidacy because I have experience in both the private and government sectors.
Mr. Butler’s loyal old friend from Riverside, Mr. Orso, seems to be his main supporter. Butler was appointed as an interim in 2009 by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, but today none of the Supervisors endorse his candidacy.
Ernie Dronenburg is a candidate for Assessor Recorder/Clerk and lives Fallbrook.