Portage County Treasurer Stephanie Stokes will resign under protest amid allegations of misconduct with tax payments. In her resignation letter, Stokes said that County Executive Patty Dreier has locked her out of the Courthouse and the Treasurer’s office, and has told staff that she has fired her.
Dreier has filed charges against Stokes with the county board, alleging that Stokes waived property tax payments multiple times for different parties and failing to give tax dollars to several institutions in a timely manner.
The Treasurer’s Office has been the subject of an investigation since last year. At one point, Stevens Point police insisted that Stokes return tax records that were removed from her office.
Stokes had taken herself out of the running to continue as Treasurer after the November election before she lost in the August primary to county board member Tom Mallison. She cited health concerns at the time. Stokes has served as county treasurer for the past 13 years.
WSAU