By Taylor Boyd
Janet Rorrer, Commissioner of the Revenue, is set to retire July 1, after serving in her position for more than 17 years.
“I just feel that it’s time for me to retire. We farm, so I will be going from full time government work to full time farming. We have cattle and we raise produce and we’ve done that for several years. We’re just increasing our produce raising, so I’ll be pretty busy with that,” Rorrer said, adding her family is raising cattle and a variety of plants including green beans, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes.
Rorrer was born and raised in Patrick County, and began working in the county in February 1978 for the 1979 County General Reassessment as a clerk.
“That was a temporary job back then, and once that was over with then I went to work under the former Commissioner Revenue,” she said.
Rorrer said she then worked part-time in the Registrar’s office later worked in the Tax Mapping office. “Then I was elected in 2003 and took office January 1, 2004 as Commissioner of the Revenue. I’m going into my eighteenth year in the position,” she said.
In 2009 she received her Master Commissioner of Revenue from the University of Virginia.
Rorrer said her biggest accomplishment during her tenure was the twice a year billing.
“In 2010, the county went with the real estate. It was one time billing, and that year the Board of Supervisors changed it to twice a year billing for real estate. That pushed us in getting all our transfers and our new construction in to get the land books done early. That was quite challenging,” Rorrer said. “I think that was one of the biggest challenges I’ve had during my term.”
Rorrer said the no car tax PPTR (Personal Property Tax Relief) tax, was also a challenge.
“The tax was implemented by the state that we had to take on to try to figure out how to disperse back the percentages to the qualified vehicles,” she said.
Cindy Kendrick, the Chief Deputy in Rorrer’s office, will serve as interim for the remainder of Rorrer’s term.
“The law states that the highest-ranking deputy will step in as the interim Commissioner of the Revenue,” Rorrer said, and added Kendrick will hold the position “until the time of the election. She’s been here with me for 17 years, so she’s quite qualified.”
