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The Jefferson County Democratic Party will introduce two possible choices for the Tax Assessor/Collector spot on the November 2 ballot during today’s meeting of the Press Club of Southeast Texas.
The position came open after Miriam Johnson announced her retirement from the spot after the primaries. The executive committee of the party will determine which candidate they will endorse at 6:30 p.m. June 3 in the commissioner’s courtroom at Jefferson County Courthouse.
The County Tax Assessor-Collector is elected to a four-year term of office. Johnson’s term would not have expired for another two years.
“This year was not a year for tax assessor collectors, so there was not a primary that normally takes place in a primary year,” said Gilbert Adams, chairman of the Jefferson County Democratic Party.
Monday marks the party’s deadline for filing applications for the position.
“We feel very good about the strong candidates we have and we are working through the democratic process so the majority of the precinct chairs will be able to elect a candidate,” Adams said.
Applicants Thomas Sigee and Susie James will be presented at the Press Club meeting today.
Susie James, age 55, is from Jefferson County and has lived here most of her life. She and husband, David, raised two sons in Port Arthur, where they were small business owners. They currently live in Fannett. James is a member of First Baptist Church in Beaumont, and has taken an active interest in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
James has been employed in the Jefferson County Tax Office since January 5, 1981. She has worked her way from an entry level clerical position to supervisor to Chief Deputy then to Tax Assessor Collector. During her tenure, she earned her designation as Registered Tax Collector. She then continued on with her education in order to earn the classification of Registered Texas Assessor/Collector, the highest certification available.
“I have been employed here so long that the job and the efficiency of the whole office is important to me,” James said. “We have a whole lot of responsibility to get the finances turned around and I want to be a part of that.”
Thomas Sigee, 49, is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County with the exception of tours of duty during his military career. He is married to Alicia, who is an educator at Amelia Elementary School. They have five children between the ages of 16 and 26.
He earned a Business Management degree at El Paso Community College in 1989 and a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice at Lamar University in 1991. He also participated in the Strategic Organizational Leadership Program in Villanova in 2007.
Sigee currently serves as collections officer in the Jefferson County Auditing Department.
His military career spans 32 years in the Army. He was promoted to Sgt. Major in 2001, and is a 2004 graduate from the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. Sigee served in Operation Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom and received the Bronze Star in both wars. He is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate , a member of American Legion Post 817, and Beaumont Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.
“All my career, I’ve been helping others,” Sigee said. My campaign is simple — to be consistent, firm and fair in everything I do. That’s the strength that I rely on. That position belongs to the people. Voter apathy is on the rise and a part of that job is voter registration. I want to partner with the schools and civics classes to educate young people on how to vote.”
smartinez@panews.com
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