Recorder's Idea Leads to $401,770 in County Coffers

Ann with her husband, John

Back in 2010, in response to a Ron Angle complaint that the County was quickly running out of money, Recorder of Deeds Ann Achatz came up with a revenue-generating idea. She proposed charging a $10 fee for parcel identification checks on each instrument being recorded in her office. Her boss, Vic Mazziotti, liked the idea, and proposed it to County Council. They liked it, too, and adopted an ordinance authorizing the fee, starting in 2011. It was hoped this could raise $300,000, while simultaneously ensuring the accuracy of recorded documents.

Ann Achatz' idea failed to generate the hoped for $300,000 last year. The numbers have been tallied. During a bad year for real estate, this parcel fee brought actually brought $401,770 into County coffers, around $100,000 more than was predicted.

That's the equivalent of eight county jobs.

Ann is one of the department heads who are the backbone of County government. Politicians come and go, but they stay thirty or more years.

Unfortunately, this success has gone to her head. Now she's threatening to charge me an oxygen fee for breathing in her office.