Runoff for tax collector/treasurer

"I will gladly take first place,” Arnott said.

Arnott, 57, took the lead from the get-go and held on through the night, finishing with 23,423 votes, or 38.4 percent. Mandelkern, a trustee with the Community College District Board, followed with 16,966 votes or 27.8 percent.

The pair will face off in November because no single candidate secured more than 50 percent of the total votes.

Arnott called Mandelkern a "very worthy opponent” who she looks forward to campaigning alongside.

Mandelkern wasn’t surprised by the need for a runoff although he conceded people might be surprised by the order the candidates finished. Either way, he was simply happy to be on the top half.

The narrowest vote gap was between Mandelkern and Joe Galligan, 54, an accountant and former Burlingame mayor, who collected 15,292 votes or 25.1 percent. Investment advisor Richard Guilbault, who unsuccessfully ran against retiring tax collector/treasurer Lee Buffington in 1998, finished with 5,268 votes or 8.6 percent.

The race, sparked by Buffington’s retirement after more than two decades, grew particularly competitive in part because of the county’s $150 million loss in the 2008 Lehman Brothers bankruptcy.

The office has multiple functions like tax collection, revenue services and managing the county investment pool which involves money from more than 1,000 accounts of cities, districts and agencies. When Lehman failed, that pool lost the significant amount and fingers pointed back to Buffington.

While Arnott used her in-house experience as a plus for voters, her opponents often used Lehman as an example why new blood was needed.

After nabbing the top spot Tuesday night, Arnott said it was vindicating.

"When I had the opportunity to sit and give details, I felt voters finally understood what went on and that it wasn’t just the office losing money. It was everywhere,” Arnott said.

The investment aspect of the office has since made changes which Arnott said she looks forward to continuing if elected in November.

Arnott, who has spent 20 years in the office, said Buffington’s retirement forced her to choose between running for the position herself or essentially training his elected replacement.

Mandelkern, who has an entrepreneurial background, wants to advocate for both schools and taxpayers, shore up county revenue by preventing tax assessment losses based on technicalities, improve billing at the San Mateo Medical Center, invest in automated compliance software and revamp the county investment policy.

Galligan did not return a call for comment and Guilbault’s representative said he was not available for comment until Wednesday.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.