The race for the office of Pima County assessor is on with Suzanne Droubie being named the Democratic Party nominee and Jo Ann Sabbagh vying to make the November ballot following a primary as a Republican write-in candidate.
Droubie won 58% of the Democratic primary vote against two opponents, Brian Johnson and Dustin Walters, incomplete vote tallies showed on Thursday.
The Assessor’s Office is responsible for determining property tax amounts and which properties receive tax exemptions. It is currently occupied by Democrat Bill Staples, who did not seek reelection.
Sabbagh may qualify for the ballot in November if she received enough votes in the primary. The county has yet to tally write-in votes but plans to have those results next week.
Droubie works in the private sector assisting with property tax services, but previously spent seven years doing mass appraisals in the Assessor’s Office and a year doing property support for the Pima County attorney.
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She is a precinct committeeman for Legislative District 11 and chairperson of the Pima County Animal Control Advisory Committee. She ran for the office in 2016 as an independent, a choice she said she later regretted.
If Droubie wins, she wants to enhance customer service through outreach and communication, making sure people are aware of exemptions that are available to them, she said.
She wants to make the Assessor’s Office more accessible through pop-up offices temporarily set up in hard-to-reach parts of town, ready to answer taxpayers’ questions and help with forms. She also wants to add bilingual services and make the website more user-friendly, with more information for homeowners and developers.
Of her primary win, Droubie said she ran a clean race and that she’s looking forward to working alongside other Democratic candidates in the general election.
Sabbagh lost a bid for state treasurer in 2018. She is an accountant and business owner, which she says makes her a strong candidate for the position.
She has 35 years of experience in public accounting, 16 years of owning a public accounting firm and has a federal license to deal with income tax and other tax issues.
Sabbagh sees several issues with the office that she’d like to fix, including property valuations and business property tax she says hurts small-business owners.
“There are systemic problems within the system,” she says. “It’s time to have these systemic issues addressed and corrected and not have the taxpayers of Pima County pay the price as they have been for years.”
She serves on several volunteer boards, both fundraising and professional.
“To me it’s important to give back to my community and to my profession,” she says.
ֱ: 2020 Primary Election in Pima and Maricopa counties
Primary Election in Pima County

An elections worker looks over a few of the early primary ballots at one of the scanning stations during counting at the Pima County Elections Center, Tucson, Ariz., August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

A pair of elections workers look over an early primary ballot as part of the counting process at the Pima County Elections Center, Tucson, Ariz., August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

Elections workers feed primary ballots in to scanners at the Pima County Elections Center, Tucson, Ariz., August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

A poll worker waits inside the Pima County voting site at Morris K. Udall Recreational Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd., in Tucson, Ariz on August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

Brad Nelson, left, Pima County elections director, helps Lisa Matthews, Pima County election marshal, put up a “Welcome Voters” sign after it was blown down outside of the Pima County voting site at Morris K. Udall Recreational Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd., in Tucson, Ariz on August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

After voting, a voter walks back to their car at the Pima County polling site at Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Rd.., in Tucson, Ariz on August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

A voter walks by a polling sign outside the Armory Park Center located at 220 S 5th Avenue during primary election day, on Aug. 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

Voters enter the Tucson Estates Multi-Purpose Hall located at 5900 W Western Way Circle, on Aug. 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

Gilbert Silva walks through the parking lot of the Valencia Library located at 202 W Valencia Road to cast his vote during primary election day, on Aug. 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

A poll worker (right) takes a completed ballot from a voter at the Valencia Library located at 202 W Valencia Road during primary election day, on Aug. 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

After placing their vote, a voter starts to place their "I Voted" sticker on their shirt as they leave the Pima County voting site at Temple Emanu-El, 225 N. Country Club Rd., in Tucson, Ariz on August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

A poll worker wearing a face shield, mask and gloves walks outside to check if anyone needs assistance at the Pima County polling site at Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Rd.., in Tucson, Ariz on August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

A voters arrives at the Pima County polling site at Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Rd.., in Tucson, Ariz to drop off their voting ballot on August 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Pima County

A voter leaves the Pima County polling site at Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Rd.., in Tucson, Ariz on August 4, 2020. Photo by Rebecca Sasnett / ֱ Daily Star
Primary Election in Maricopa County

A portrait of Ashlee King after she voted, August 4, 2020, at the El Tianguis Mercado polling place, 9201 S. Avenida Del Yaqui, Guadalupe.
Primary Election in Maricopa County

Anita Cota-Soto washes her hands before voting, August 4, 2020, at the El Tianguis Mercado, 9201 S. Avenida Del Yaqui, Guadalupe. Cota-Soto is a Town of Guadalupe councilmember running for re-election.
Primary Election in Maricopa County

Voting marshal Gerry Lamanski checks his watch before announcing the polls are open, August 4, 2020, at the Tempe History Museum, 809 E. Southern Ave., Tempe.
Primary Election in Maricopa County

People vote on Election Day at Nueva Vida Church in Scottsdale on Aug. 4, 2020.
Primary Election in Maricopa County

Voters walk to a polling station to cast votes for GOP and Democratic candidates for the primary election Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Chandler, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Primary Election in Maricopa County

Voters walk to a polling station to cast votes for GOP and Democratic primary candidates Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Chandler, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Primary Election in Maricopa County

A voter wearing a face covering exits a polling station to cast votes for GOP and Democratic primary candidates, as a polling station workers opens the door for voters Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Chandler, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)