Matonovich faces life after assessing

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| Wednesday, November 12, 2008 | (12 comment(s))

For most people, the word "downsized" is just a euphemism for fired, a synonym for axed, canned, pink-slipped, shown the door, booted, chucked out, heaved or sacked.

But North Township Assessor John Matonovich was the victim, if that word can be used, of true downsizing. Voters last week decided to eliminate his job, and on Dec. 31, 2010, he will be looking for work.

He's not surprised. He's just surprised it's going to take government so long to get rid of him. He has been given all of 2009 and 2010 to "transition" his work to the Lake County assessor's office.

"The transfer of duties becomes effective Jan. 1, 2009," he said. "But the elected official stays in office and assists the county assessor in transition. It doesn't make sense to me that it takes two years, but that's the (Indiana) General Assembly's call."

Maybe he can get in a few extra rounds of golf. Heck, I would if I could find someone who would pay me for two years of nonwork.

He said he saw the results of questionnaires put out last spring on the question of eliminating township assessors and they were not encouraging.

"I never expected the referendum to come out my way. How do you campaign to keep the office? People want smaller government," he said. "I believe within the next few years, the General Assembly will eliminate township government altogether, or at least assessors.

"I don't blame anybody," he said. "I wasn't going to run for office again anyway. It's gotten very bitter, what with all these blogs where people criticize and hide behind their computer names."

Matonovich isn't looking back, but said he's not sure what the future holds. He's a real estate and insurance broker as well as a certified appraiser and assessor. He said he has not ruled out a run at county assessor, but an election night comment to a reporter about running for mayor of Hammond was an "off-the-cuff joke" that was accidentally reported seriously.

He's kept a fairly low profile since he was the focus of a 2002 federal investigation started after accusations of unfairly favorable assessments for political contributors. His chief accuser, former County Assessor Peter Benjamin, eventually went to prison and Benjamin's reputation was shredded so seriously prosecutors would rather have had Pinocchio on the stand.

"I welcome the break," Matonovich said. At 49, he is much too young to go into retirement.

Even from government work.

The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at markk@nwitimes.com or (219) 933-4170.

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Sue wrote on Nov 19, 2008 8:49 PM:

" Unfortunately, in this area of the state, as long as Matonovich runs as a Democrat he is assured of winning the elected office no matter what he runs for or when he runs! "

Voted wrote on Nov 13, 2008 11:10 PM:

" That office was inept and couldn't even return phone calls. I'm still on ;ast years appeal and they haven;t finsished it. GOOD BYE! "

Turn out the lights wrote on Nov 13, 2008 3:39 PM:

" the party is over, Johnny! "

Jeffrey Crook wrote on Nov 13, 2008 7:52 AM:

" Try an honest job where you actually have to do some work John, might do you some good. I wouldn't vote for you to clean my toilet. Do us a favor and stay out of elected office. "

mayor timmy wrote on Nov 12, 2008 8:34 PM:

" "I don't blame anybody," he said. "I wasn't going to run for office again anyway. It's gotten very bitter, what with all these blogs where people criticize and hide behind their computer names."

hahahhahahah would you like some coffee "

Matonovich for Mayor wrote on Nov 12, 2008 10:52 AM:

" Johnny would make a great mayor for any one of the cities in Lake County. "

Im also over assessed wrote on Nov 12, 2008 9:15 AM:

" In the five years I've lived in my curent house the value assigned to it by the North Township Assessor has increased $40,000! Of course not ONCE during that increase, did anyone from NTA come to my house, look around inside, or justify the increase in any way (no major renovations). I recently tried (to do improvements) and can't even get a loan for the amount they say my house is worth (from my mortgage company.) How do they pick these values, spin a wheel?? Sorry, I voted against you and that is why. "

Good Job wrote on Nov 12, 2008 8:24 AM:

" You've done a good job Mr. Matonovich. I hope you run for County Assessor in 2010. "

See ya Matonovich wrote on Nov 12, 2008 8:18 AM:

" Glad you're gone, couldn't happen soon enough as far as I'm concerned. Just what is it you did besides OVER appraise my home and others? Did you use a Ouija board or a magic 8 ball? Too bad the state is allowing you to hang around as long as you are, I think you owe North Township an apology for your lack of integrity. I can't imagine any private sector business that would hire you. See ya (in the soup line hopefully)!

Jeffrey L. Crook (Not anonymous name) "

was this an accident wrote on Nov 12, 2008 8:08 AM:

" or did this township's citizens actually vote their own self interest for a change? Nah... i can't believe that. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT... maybe the wording was confusing. "

Joe Average wrote on Nov 12, 2008 7:53 AM:

" The North Township Assessor staff and property owners are the victims here.
The staff is great and the people will now be at the mercy of the county. The county government as a whole is a mess and there is no hope or plan to fix it.
North Township will be an example to the townships that were smart enough not to hand even more power to the county and make sure that they never vote the same way.
Matonovich will run for office again, he's a career politican who has made a tidy living doing little. Now he will be paid to do less.
I guess that was his plan when he made no effort to educate the public on the need and benefit to keep assessment at the local level.
Now the poor staff and the property owners will pay the price.
Instead of having the gall to complain about being paid to do nothing, he should donate that money to the North Township homeless shelter. "

N.T. Voter wrote on Nov 12, 2008 6:13 AM:

" My North Township house was recently "trended" by Mr. Matonovich's office for more (30K more!) than a professional appraiser gave me on the same house. Now multiply that by a large population and now you know why you lost your job. You weren't doing it right! "

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