Termed-out state Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, announced Tuesday he will be seeking a spot on the state Board of Equalization, which oversees property tax assessments and the alcohol tax on insurers.
Umberg is seeking to represent District 4, which covers Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties. The incumbent is termed-out Mike Schaefer.
Orange Mayor pro tem Denis Bilodeau, who ran for the board four years ago, is running again. Bilodeau said his main platform is protecting Prop. 13.
“It’s an important job and I enjoy and love public service,” Umberg told City News Service.
“We have challenges in terms of resourcing government money now and the Board of Equalization plays an important role whether it’s property taxes and utilities, and I think I can do a fair job with the integrity that California gets its fair share of what’s appropriated in terms of taxes.”
Umberg said the state’s contentious relationship with the federal government is one of the challenges California faces.
“The federal government has presented huge challenges, not just because of the war on California but the chaotic and quixotic nature of what’s going on in Washington, so that you can’t spend on them.”
Umberg noted that California is vulnerable to “natural disasters and we’re still waiting for reimbursements for the fires. … So, to the extent I can play a role in getting our fair share of federal revenue I plan to do that also.”
Umberg said his relationship with federal lawmakers can help.
“I have served with or know a great number of our elected officials, our federal legislators, so I think I have those types of connections,” Umberg said. “More importantly, it’s been an underused role and I’m going to be quite vigorous and active.”
Umberg is a retired U.S. Army colonel who served in Korea and is a former federal criminal prosecutor.