Lake County Recorder Gina Pimentel announces run for auditor in 2026
Pimentel, 38, said she can't run for reelection as recorder because of term limits. As she thought about her career, Pimentel said running for auditor seemed like a strong next step because the auditor's office and the recorder's office work together, like during the property transfer process.
'I think this is a good next step,' Pimentel said. 'I am an in-person, hands-on elected official and office holder that has the county's best interest in mind.'
In addition to Pimentel's candidacy, Lake County Democratic Chairman Mike Repay said current auditor Peggy Holinga Katona is seeking reelection. In the primary election, Repay said the party will remain neutral on candidates.
Lake County Treasurer John Petalas, who has served as auditor in the past, said he is seeking reelection as treasurer. He declined to comment on the auditor's race.
If elected, Pimentel said she would focus on retraining employees in the deductions department to ensure people qualifying for a homestead, over the age of 65, disabled and disabled veterans receive the proper deductions.
Pimentel said she would take the training with the employees, if elected auditor. Given that deductions are the top reason residents visit the auditor's office, Pimentel said employee retraining on the matter would benefit the office.
Further, Pimentel said she would also like to bring back an in-person tax sale process to prevent fraud and increase the collection rate. While doing the tax sale online was efficient during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a good time to start an in-person process, she said.
'That's something that I would like to play more offense not defense,' Pimentel said. 'There are ways for improvement and there are ways to avoid certain things that do happen in the tax sale.'
Pimentel was elected recorder in 2020 after serving 5 years as chief deputy recorder under previous Lake County Recorder Michael Brown, who left office after he and some of his staff were subpoenaed in front of the Lake County Council to answer questions about his absenteeism for 18 months.
As recorder, Pimentel said she's most proud of how efficient the office has become. The office has focused on digitizing, imaging and scanning various records and documents, she said.
'We've really utilized the money that my office makes without using taxpayer money to further enhance the office in every which way,' Pimentel said.
While she's enjoyed being recorder, Pimentel said she looks forward to running for auditor to continue to serve Lake County residents.
'I love what I do. I'm happy to be at the county. I'm proud to be an elected official, and it's something that I want to continue because I'm just starting out,' Pimentel said.
akukulka@post-trib.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
6 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Iconic grocery chain makes huge move to help shoppers on a budget
It's been nearly half a decade since grocery shopping was as simple as heading to the store and filling your cart with affordable staples. First, there was the major disruption of the Covid pandemic, with toilet paper nowhere to be found. And a series of other calamities have followed. From baby formula shortages to a bird flu crisis that sent the price of eggs soaring, to the inflation that resulted in the post-Covid era, Americans have been struggling for a long time to buy what they want at a price they can actually pay. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter With these challenges, many people have been forced to tighten their spending, and President Donald Trump's threatened tariffs could only serve to worsen the situation, as the U.S. buys many goods from Mexico, Canada, and countries abroad. These products could get a lot more expensive if all promised tariffs are implemented and stay in effect. Thankfully, one grocery store is rising to the challenge: Wegmans. Wegmans has more than 100 stores, most of which are found on the East Coast. The regional grocery chain has developed a cult following since opening in 1916, and it is known for offering an upscale grocery shopping experience. It's also evolved well with the times, embracing modern technologies and trends. And now, it's making a major move that will help customers stick to their grocery budget. Image source:In an early July announcement, Wegmans has taken a step toward revolutionizing grocery shopping forever. The company announced the launch within its stores of an AI smart cart powered by Instacart. The cart is called Caper Carts, and Instacart developed it to help with the advancement of technology-connected stores. Customers who choose to shop with a Caper Cart can log into their Wegmans Shoppers Club account and will see an order screen on the cart that tracks their purchases in real time. Related: Costco members angry about price increase The cart uses a combination of cameras, location sensors, and a digital scale to enable customers to put items directly into their shopping bags as they move through the store. Customers will no longer need to physically check out from the store, as they can just pay directly from the cart. While not having to go through the checkout lane can save customers a lot of time and hassle, the best part for budget-conscious shoppers is that they are going to be able to see their total in real time as they add items to their cart. No more guessing if they are sticking to their weekly budget or trying to do the math in their head as they go. Initially, Wegmans is bringing Caper Cart to a store in Syracuse, New York. However, this is just the beginning. A Wegmans representative told Food & Wine that the company is "doing smart cart test-and-learn pilots in four stores - Perinton and Pittsford in Rochester, Alberta Drive in Buffalo, and at our Dewitt store in Syracuse - with two different technology providers." Related: Costco membership decision sparks controversy Wegmans will test the customer experience and hopes to roll out the smart carts to more stores so that eventually, all customers will be able to embrace this technology to make grocery shopping faster and more budget-friendly. "Our goal is to determine if smart cart technology is a fit for the unique shopping assortment offered in our stores and if it meets the shopping needs of our customers," a Wegmans representative said. More Retail: Walmart CEO sounds alarm on a big problem for customersTarget makes a change that might scare Walmart, CostcoTop investor takes firm stance on troubled retail brandWalmart and Costco making major change affecting all customers In the meantime, those who are shopping at the pilot stores can experience the future of grocery shopping today. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NH rejects Trump request for list of registered voters
Citing a black-and-white voting records privacy law, Secretary of State David Scanlan flatly rejected the Trump administration's demand for New Hampshire's list of all registered voters, part of an organized White House campaign to seek millions of names from targeted states in advance of the 2026 midterm elections. A little over a week ago, President Donald Trump signaled his focus remains on the falsehoods that he has spread about his 2020 presidential election defeat. Trump posted on social media that Attorney General Pam Bondi will be looking into 'The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020.' The push for the voting data has election observers wondering if the aim is to build a file of voter intelligence that could help Trump become more immune to partisan losses in the midterm elections. More than 350 election officials from at least 33 states joined a recent conference call to hear from Democratic and Republican lawyers who offered their insights about the implications of the administration's demands. On June 25, Acting Chief of the Civil Rights Division Maureen Riordan and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Gates wrote Scanlan, presenting him with a 15-point punch list of voter information. N.H. rejects Trump administration request for registered voters list The Trump administration's Justice Department sent demand letters to election officials in New Hampshire and eight other targeted states requesting a complete list of registered voters along with 14 other items. Secretary of State David Scanlan said the state can't meet that demand, citing a 2003 law that defines these records as confidential. This image is from a town meeting last March which was the first election when a new law kicked in that new voters would have to prove identity, citizenship and domicile to register to vote. The letter cited the federal Help America Vote Act as the authority for Justice to request information on voter registration, including how the state identifies illegal immigrants who may seek to vote or culls from the voting rolls dead voters or those convicted of a felony. 'Please include both active and inactive voters,' the letter states in asking for lists of registered voters. The Washington Post first reported this story, noting that the inquiries for the voter list were a mix of blue and red states including New Hampshire, Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. On that list, Wisconsin and Nevada were the only two that were battleground states that decided the 2024 election, an electoral vote romp for Trump over Democrat Kamala Harris because Trump swept all seven battleground states. Trump was competitive in the Granite State, but he has lost all three presidential races in New Hampshire. Curiously, the Union Leader has confirmed there were other states such as Pennsylvania that received the same letter demand, which was identical except it did not have the critical 15th action item — a copy of the voter registration list. Pennsylvania has long been a battleground state. Its majority for Joe Biden ensured Trump's defeat in 2020, but Trump recovered to take it last November. Law created in 2003 The New Hampshire Legislature in 2003 created a law spelling out how the voter database is to be compiled, monitored and protected. It contains a strikingly stark privacy provision that makes the documents not only secret but undiscoverable in a court case. 'The voter database shall be private and confidential and shall not be subject to RSA 91-A (Right-to-Know Law) and RSA 654:31 (Voter Checklist Law) nor shall it or any of the information contained therein be disclosed pursuant to a subpoena or civil litigation discovery request,' the law reads. Anna Sventek, Scanlan's communications director, confirmed Scanlan's office spoke with a Justice Department official about the request. 'We had a conversation with them about New Hampshire statutes relative to the availability of voter checklist information and made them aware of RSA 654:45,' Sventek said, alluding to the law and its privacy provision.' N.H. rejects Trump Justice Dept. demand for registered voter list David Scanlan 'No further action has been taken or requested.' The law permits designated local and state ballot officials to have access to the database for the purpose of verifying registration information for elections. Also, the law permits the data to be shared with state and federal court officials strictly for the preparation of jury lists. Judge granted exception in ALCU suit vs. N.H. A federal judge recently granted an exception to the New Hampshire privacy law, agreeing to allow the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire access to it. The ACLU-NH sued the state over a new Republican-led law that compels first-time voters to show proof of citizenship when they register. State prosecutors argued giving the ACLU the database was too much of a risk. A New Hampshire federal judge disagreed, pointing to a previous lawsuit in which the same information was shared with opposing lawyers without adverse consequence. The Post reported that Colorado and Florida provided information to the Justice Department from their lists while officials in other states said they were reviewing requests. David Becker, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, who was on that conference call, said election officials worry about 'federal imposition' that could override their authority. Some inquiries 'The DOJ seems dead set on acquiring personal information on voters, including driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers and dates of birth — records that are highly protected under federal law and under state law and which state election officials are sworn to protect,' Becker said. Some of the inquiries to states went beyond the fact finding sought from New Hampshire and others. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold told ABC News her office got a letter in May after Justice officials said they 'recently received a complaint alleging noncompliance' with the Voting Rights Act. The letter was signed by Harmeet Dhillon — an assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division — who was formerly a Trump campaign legal adviser. klandrigan@
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jeffries touts ‘constructive' meeting with Mamdani, says they will ‘reconvene'
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said he had a 'constructive meeting' with Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani in Brooklyn on Friday. The meeting, which took place in Jeffries's home district, lasted an hour, according to Jeffries's spokesperson Justin Chermol. 'The meeting between Leader Jeffries and Assemblyman Mamdani was constructive, candid and community-centered, with a particular focus on affordability,' Chermol said, adding that the two also discussed public safety, rising antisemitism, gentrification and the importance of Democrats taking back the House majority in 2026. 'They agreed to reconvene shortly, alongside other members of the New York City congressional delegation and a few high-level community leaders,' he added. Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have not yet endorsed Mamdani following his primary win last month. While the New York state Assembly member enjoys support among the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, he has faced skepticism from moderate members of the party. Mamdani has been working to consolidate support from Democrats ahead of the general election, where he will run against sitting Mayor Eric Adams and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who are both running as independents. Republican Curtis Sliwa is also in the race. The Democratic nominee was in Washington on Wednesday for a closed-door breakfast hosted by progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). A number of House Democrats in attendance praised the state lawmaker following the event, including Reps. Robert Garcia (Calif.) and Pramila Jayapal (Wash.). Meanwhile Republicans have sought to tie Democrats to Mamdani. On Friday, the National Republican Congressional Committee rolled out a digital ad campaign tying Mamdani to Democratic New York Reps. Josh Riley, Laura Gillen, Tom Suozzi, and New Jersey Rep. Nellie Pou. All four members potentially face competitive reelection bids next year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
