TAMPA — Rob Turner was headed to re-election as Hillsborough's property appraiser Tuesday night, ushering the Republican to a fourth straight term.
With about two-thirds of the precincts reported, Turner, 57, held a comfortable lead over challenger Ken Ayers, a 78-year-old former Tampa fire chief who twice ran for Congress and lost.
"I'm very pleased," Turner said from the Valencia Garden Restaurant, where he was joined by about 300 supporters. "This has been one of those elections where so many folks are coming out, we just never know."
Turner, credited with restoring confidence to an office that had been investigated by the state and the FBI, said he wants to continue issuing property valuations that are representative of the market and pursue an aggressive public education campaign. He also wants to better define agricultural exemptions.
Turner said one of his immediate goals is to seek additional property tax reforms.
"With the experience and the knowledge, and what we've been through, I have a legislative agenda that continues to try to champion efforts to improve Florida's tax system," he said.
Ayers, who calls himself a conservative Democrat, accused Turner of being too "zealous" in inflating assessments and believes most of the property in Hillsborough County is overvalued. He did not return a call Tuesday night for comment.
Dong-Phuong Nguyen can be reached at (813)269-5312 or nguyen@sptimes.com.
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