Current Executive Collector Loveless Enters Race
January 19th, 2012 by Submitted
Tonya Loveless has announced her candidacy for the positon of Drew County Tax Collector in the 2012 Democratic Primary. She has held the position of Executive Collector since 2008, after being promoted from Deputy Collector. She has been in the Collectors Office since January of 2005.
Loveless came to this office after serving the public for over fifteen years a a dual licensed insurance agent, the most recent co-owing her own agency and previously as office manager for Savage Insurance Agency for almost seven years.
During the seven years in the Collector’s Office, she is a current member of the Arkansas Collectors Association and The Association of Arkansas Counties with over forty-eight continuing education hours. She attends annual Association of Arkansas Counties Legislative Seminars in order to stay current on changes made in Arkansas law. She works with the Quorum Court on maintaining the budget for this office as well as personnel, equipment and software requirements.
She is proud to say that “Tax Collection” is not just a single job. It is a process with multiple entities involved. It is not an easily explained process with information provided, updated, corrected and the disbursed to the correct offices. Reports are done on a daily, monthly, and annual basis not only for county records but also for state audit. If laws for the Assessor changes, it often causes changes for the Collector and therefore changes to the Circuit Clerk and Treasurer. It is a combined effort and these offices work together to get the job done. This office collected over $7 Million in current taxes and over $500,00 in delinquent taxes, going back as far as 1996, during the 2010 tax year alone. This office strives to collect as much tax money, current or delinquent, as possible but it is not an easy task as one may think. Often, the County Attorney and the Land Commissioners Offices become involved in the process.
Tonya was born and raised in Arkansas and has spent over 35 years of her life in Drew County. She is a graduate of Drew Central High School and attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello. She is a Baptist and has three sons: Brandon Jones and Stephanie of Lacey, Sr. Airman Ashton Jones and Leah of Omaha, NE, and Benjamin Loveless, an honor student at Monticello Middle School. She also has two Grandchildren. She is the daughter of Van and Karen Brown of the Valley Community. She is the Grand-Daughter of Willie Mae Hobbs and the Late Albert Hobbs and the Late James and Toni Holcomb.
Tonya is proud to serve as Executive Collector and has always enjoyed working with the public. She strives to continue to maintain this office within its budget and to streamline with the state and county laws. She feels that her seven plus years of experience, knowledge, and dedication to this job will be an asset to being your next Tax Collector. Your vote is greatly appreciated.
You have done a fine job in the past , I cant see anyone replacing you. So you got my vote.