MEET JOHN MCMANUS
John McManus is proud to serve our community as Montgomery County Treasurer. He was elected to the position in November of 2020 and assumed office in September of 2021. As Treasurer, John is responsible for the collection of property taxes, the safeguarding of county funds, and the careful management of the county’s investment portfolio. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Montgomery County Land Bank, and is committed to helping our neighborhoods turn delinquent, neglected, and abandoned properties back to productive use.
Prior to being elected Treasurer, John served as a member of the Board of Education of the Dayton City School District, representing 150,000 residents across Dayton, Riverside, Trotwood, Harrison Township and Jefferson Township. John was elected to the position in 2015, while still a full-time student in law school at the University of Dayton. John held various positions during his four years of service, including as Board Vice President and Finance Chairman. His term of office was from 2016 to 2020.
Aside from his elected roles, John has proudly spent his entire career in the public sector. Before and during his time as a member of the Dayton Board of Education, John served as Chief Deputy Clerk of the Legal Division of the Montgomery County Clerk of Courts. As Chief Deputy, John was responsible for the management and oversight of the Criminal, Civil, Domestic Relations, Appellate, Records, and Bookkeeping & Finance Departments for the Montgomery County Clerk of Courts.
Prior to moving from Memphis to Dayton to pursue higher education, John worked in state and federal government in a number of capacities. After graduating from college, John served as a White House Staff Assistant in the administration of President George W. Bush. He was assigned to the Executive Office of the President. He served as Legislative Liaison and Public Information Officer for Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, advocating for more efficient human resource policies for state government. Additionally, John served as a Regulatory and Publications Specialist for Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett. In this role, John was responsible for regulatory assignments related to all of state government’s departments, agencies, boards, and commissions.
John holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Memphis. He is married and resides in Centerville.
PROVEN RESULTS FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Delinquent Taxes
When John assumed office in September of 2021, nearly 30,000 properties in Montgomery County owed back taxes. Over 11% of the county's 250,000 real estate parcels were tax delinquent, owing nearly a quarter billion dollars to the county treasury for the benefit of our local schools, libraries, parks, and local governments.
In less than 3 years, John and his team reversed this decades' long trend and reduced the delinquent parcel count from 28,806 to 17,450, eliminating 11,356 properties from the delinquency rolls. Thanks to this reformed and aggressive approach to collect delinquent taxes, John and his team are on track to collect over $130 million in delinquent taxes alone by the end of 2024.
For too long in Montgomery County, taxpayers picked up the tab for those who didn't pay. John fought to put a stop to that, and in just 3 years, the trend of chronic delinquencies in Montgomery County has turned around.
Finance and Investments
The more money that is earned on the county's investments, the less government has to dip into the general fund to pay for services. As Montgomery County's chief investment officer, John and his team will have earned approximately $50 million in interest, outpacing the state average and outperforming county goals by $1.5 million in 2023 alone. These strong earnings save taxpayers money and ensure that Montgomery County is in an even better financial position.
Additionally, John and his team have achieved maximum returns for taxpayers while also prioritizing safe, stable, and compliant investment strategies. By the end of 2023, Montgomery County's investment fund reached an all time high of nearly $840 million.
Fiscal Responsibility
As Treasurer, John is responsible for the management and oversight of multiple special revenue funds that help fund the Treasurer's office, collection efforts, and the prosecution of court cases. When John took office in 2020, each of these funds had experienced a steady decline in available cash balances. With hard work, diligence, and fiscal discipline, John and his team reversed the decline and grew each of the funds to record totals.
Property and Demolition
By law, county treasurers serve on the county Land Bank, allowing treasurers to take an active role in efforts to demolish, restore, or transition problem properties back into productive use. John's record collection of delinquent taxes has allowed for unprecedented funding for Montgomery County's Land Bank. Since John took office, the Montgomery County Land Bank has demolished 350 properties across Montgomery County, improving our neighborhoods and the lives of those who have had to live next to dangerous properties for far too long.