Endorsement: J.R. Kroll is best suited to clean up the Greenberg mess in Seminole County
Being a county tax collector is demanding, but not all that complicated. Citizens just want honesty and transparency and to not wait in line all day to get a driver’s license.
They don’t want cronyism and headlines about federal investigations for stalking and sex trafficking.
That’s what Seminole County got in Joel Greenberg. And that’s what prompted J.R. Kroll and Lynn Moira Dictor to run to replace him.
“We both looked at this and said somebody needs to make a change,” Kroll told the Editorial Board. “Now it’s just up to the people of Seminole County to determine who is the best fit.”
We think it’s Kroll, thanks largely to his business background. He’s built and manages a real estate firm with 17 employees. Running the tax collector’s office requires similar skills and knowledge.
Dictor certainly knows the area and issues. She was on “The Philips Phile,” a popular radio talk show that ended with the retirement of host Jim Philips in 2018.
Dictor was initially drawn to the tax collector’s job by the tenure of Ray Valdes. He and his relatives bought and sold tax-delinquent properties he regulated. Though legal, it left a bad ethical aftertaste.
“This has been on my radar for a long time,” Dictor said “I knew when it was time for me to make a change and leave this place better than I found it.”
We don’t doubt her sincerity, but we question whether Dictor is as prepared for the job as Kroll. She’s helped manage budgets for non-profits but lacks his administrative experience.
We endorsed Kroll in the Republican primary, though we were disturbed to learn afterward that he used his campaign’s Facebook page to promote his real estate firm. Kroll said that was done without his knowledge, but it was a bad look.
Similarly, we were put off by Dictor’s campaign rhetoric over what she called the corrupt “Valdes-Greenberg-Kroll legacy.”
“J.R. wants to join that team,” Dictor said. “It’s very clear to me.”
There’s no evidence Kroll has any connection or allegiance to Greenberg. Mudslinging gets tiresome enough in high-profile political campaigns (see: U.S. presidency). It was disappointing to find it in a county tax collector’s race. And unnecessary.
It was the kind of thing we’d expect out of Greenberg, and the one thing everyone agrees on is Seminole County doesn’t need any more of that.
People just want an honest and professionally-run office that stays out of the headlines. We think Kroll is best suited to deliver that.
Election endorsements are the opinion of the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, which consists of Opinion Editor Mike Lafferty, Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Jay Reddick, David Whitley and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Sentinel Columnist Scott Maxwell participates in interviews and deliberations. Send emails to insight@orlandosentinel.com. Watch interviews with candidates at OrlandoSentinel.com/interviews.
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