State Rep. Jake Zimmerman, D-Olivette, has decided to run for St. Louis County assessor in the April 5 election.
For several weeks Zimmerman has been mentioned as a potential candidate. Today Jim Ross, a spokesman for Zimmerman, confirmed the state representative is seeking the local position.
Amendments to the state Constitution and the St. Louis County Charter are converting the appointed position of assessor to an elected one. County voters on April 5 will choose an assessor who will hold the job until the end of 2014. Voters that year will elect an assessor for a full four-year term.
The charter amendment puts nominating candidates in the April election in the hands of Democratic and Republican county central committees. The Democratic party’s central committee on Thursday will select the party’s candidate.
Zimmerman, a lawyer, just started his third term as a state representative. He has accumulated a campaign chest of $212,305, a campaign finance report he filed 30 days after the Nov. 2 election showed.
As assessor, he will stress fairness, Ross said. The lawmaker has worked to tighten ethical standards in Jefferson City and will live by high standards in as assessor, Ross said.
Zimmerman does not want to see the elderly taxed out of their homes, Ross said.
Zimmerman, 36, has a bachelor’s degree from Claremont-McKenna College in Claremont, Calif., and a law degree from Harvard University. He is engaged to be married in June.
Leslie Broadnax, 34, an attorney in Clayton who lives in Bellefontaine Neighbors, is seeking to become the party’s candidate. David Jefferson, 52, a cab driver from Hazelwood who was unaware that a party committee would select the candidate, filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission paperwork for a campaign committee as a Democrat seeking the position.
Republicans have two people interested in running – former St. Louis County Executive Gene McNary, 75, and L.K. “Chip” Wood, 56, the chairman of the well-known L.K. Wood real estate company that his father started. The Republican County Central Committee will select the party nominee for the position on Wednesday.