Real estate broker, teacher face off in primary for Seminole tax collector

Almost from the moment he took office in January 2017, former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg was mired in one controversy after another — including for anti-Muslim social media rants, handing out lucrative contracts to friends, using his public office to set up a Blockchain business and using flashing lights to pull over an alleged speeder.

Greenberg resigned in June, days after he was indicted on federal charges of stalking a political opponent and identity theft. He’s also accused of using his position to steal surrendered driver’s licenses and create fake IDs. Greenberg, who has pleaded not guilty, has since resigned and ended his campaign for re-election.

The two remaining candidates in the Republican primary — Brian Beute and J.R. Kroll — say it’s time to bring back integrity and stability to the Tax Collector’s Office. Because Beute is the alleged victim and a likely witness in Greenberg’s stalking case, the candidate limited his comments to his campaign and not to the charges.

The winner of the Aug. 18 primary will face Democrat Lynn Moira Dictor in the Nov. 3 general election.

Beute, 46, of Chuluota, is a teacher at Trinity Preparatory and former president and founding member of Save Rural Seminole, a citizen organization set up to defend the county’s rural boundary. He is married and has two daughters.

Kroll, 49, of Sanford, is a real estate broker and owns the firm JR Kroll Realty, which has 17 agents. He is married and has three sons and a grandchild.

Beute said his first task as tax collector will be to bring in an independent auditor to study the office’s finances. During Greenberg’s and previous tax collector Ray Valdes’ tenures, there was very little oversight over expenditures, Beute said.