Lloyd Hara for King County Assessor

Once the Assessor’s predicament came to light, callers from many different quarters suggested that I would be a good fit for the expected opening. You may find the following background information helpful in that regard.

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As an independent-minded public interest watchdog who has studied, taught and practiced public finance at an expert level, I am ready to lead a cycle of renewal in the Department of Assessments.

As a public servant with a solid reputation for transparency and straight talk, I am ready to represent the Department most effectively to a deeply distressed taxpaying public.

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I hold a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s in Economics from the UW (where I finished all but dissertation for a Doctorate in Political Science.)

As new college grad, I answered John F Kennedy’s call to “ask what you can do for your country”.  I led a 228-person company as a 2^nd Lt. in Korea, served as Post Subsistence Officer at Fort Lewis, and continued in Army Reserves through retirement with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

I worked as Fiscal Analyst for the Washington House (where my Senate counterpart was Mike Lowry), and for the Executive branch Central Budget Agency under Gov. Dan Evans, where I played lead roles in budget process innovations at the dawn of the mainframe era.

At age 29 I was appointed King County Auditor to fill the unexpired term following an abrupt resignation. Seattle voters elected me four times as City Treasurer, and my innovations at the department led to it becoming a national model, and netted me national awards. A newly-elected President Clinton appointed me Regional Director of FEMA. As adjunct faculty in Seattle University’s Institute for Public Service, I led the Northwest Municipal Clerks Institute and the Northwest Municipal Treasurers Institute.

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In 2005, King County voters elected me to the Commission of the Port of Seattle — an organization that had grown complacent after 15 years with no change in leadership.

The Port’s ingrained “business as usual” culture covered questionable habits and misplaced loyalties. I probed conduct that turned out to be un-productive in some cases and highly improper in others. My work at the Port demonstrates the value of a fresh look by an experienced leader and manager.

As a taxpayer’s champion, I fought to reduce the Port property tax levy – and succeeded two years out of three.

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On several occasions I have received national acclaim for new approaches to old problems, and for pioneering work on public sector performance audits. These honors include the Municipal Treasurers Assoc. of US and Canada’s highest award (I also served a term as MTA national president); the Gov’t. Financial Officers Assoc.’s Award of Excellence in Cash Management; the Assoc. of Gov’t. Accountants‘ Distinguished Leadership Award; City and State magazine‘s national honors as a “Most Valuable Public Official”; the American Society for Public Administration’s Public Services Award for Achievement; and the Federal Joint Financial Improvement Program‘s Financial Management Improvement Award.

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My wife Liz and I operate a small business, and I have rendered service on boards of the Puget Sound Blood Center, Boy Scouts, Seattle Library Foundation, a local hospital, Evergreen State College Advisory Board, American Red Cross, the Economic Opportunity Center, the Puget Sound Economic Development District, the South King County Opportunity Development District, and the Trade Development Alliance.

I also founded or co-founded the National League of Cities’ Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials caucus, the North Seattle Community College Foundation, the Columbia Club of Seattle senior services program, and the International District Rotary Club (first chapter on the planet to grant women official membership), and served as President of the Japanese American Citizens League, Seattle Chapter.

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