The Tuscarawas County Auditor’s seat is up for election as the current auditor retires, and two republicans are vying for the position in Tuesday’s primary.
Current chief deputy auditor Lisa Contini and Brett Hillyer, an attorney and former 51st district representative are in the running. Both have a degree in accounting.
Contini says her background consists of doing municipality audits and she was the fiscal officer at a local child agency before moving to the county office a few years ago. Since then, Contini says she has made connections with auditors across the state.
“I think that I am running for the right reasons. That I will have the best intentions of every resident of the county. I will do things responsibly. I love what I do. I understand it. I can not only help the residents but the county but help the residents and education them, but what I mainly want the job. I don’t want the position.”
Hillyer says his decision to run relates to the rise in property and real estate taxes putting a burden on locals and how taxpayers do not have online access to auditor records from 2023 through 2025, and can not see the 2026 budget. Hillyer adds he also wants to work with the county commissioner’s on the homestead exemption.
“Helps seniors and disabled individuals that own their home receive a discounted rate on their tax bill. Secondly, what I’d like to see is to put services online to protect our seniors from deed theft and mortgage theft. The other aspect is to strengthen access to the board of revision and that board is an outlet to challenge the valuation of your taxes on your home.”
Polls are open Tuesday from 6:30am to 7:30pm, and the winner will move on to the general election to face democrat Joe Rinehart.
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