After more than 38 years of dedicated service to Monterey County, including the last 15 years as the elected Treasurer-Tax Collector, Mary Zeeb today announced plans to retire effective December 30, 2025.
“When I ran for my fourth term, I fully intended to serve through its completion,” said Zeeb. “However, recent changes in my life now require my full-time attention. This decision is bittersweet, but I am ready to begin the next chapter of my life. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Monterey County.”
Throughout Zeeb’s tenure, the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office has remained committed to serving county residents with compassion, integrity, and exceptional customer service. Most notably, during the COVID pandemic she authored and recommended changes to the tax code that would allow taxpayers additional time and a waiver of penalty if they were experiencing a hardship due to the pandemic. This legislative language was adopted and used by the Governor in his Executive Order allowing all counties to offer these provisions to taxpayers.
Under her leadership, the department has also achieved numerous operational and service improvements and built a reputation for professionalism and trust. “We constantly strive to bring updated and modern technologies to the office that benefit both the taxpayer and create efficiencies for the staff” said Zeeb. One of the more challenging programs for both the Treasurer-Tax Collector and the county has been the implementation of the cannabis program. “There wasn’t a playbook for how to draft an ordinance and set up a tax payment program.” According to Zeeb “it was a total unknown and everything had to be created from scratch, but we managed to create a sound ordinance and fair tax collection processes for the industry."
Zeeb’s retirement will mark the end of a distinguished public service career spanning nearly four decades. During this time, she has also worked closely with the schools, special districts, county departments, and the public to safeguard county funds and ensure efficient, transparent tax collection and treasury operations. “During my tenure as the Treasurer-Tax Collector we have generated over $500 million dollars in interest earnings on behalf of the schools and public agencies. And this was during one of the lowest interest rate periods in recent history”. said Zeeb.
“The staff of the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office is an extraordinary team,” Zeeb continued. “They are well-positioned to carry our mission and values forward, and I have every confidence they will continue to serve the community with continued dedication and excellence.”
Zeeb also expressed deep gratitude to colleagues, county leaders, and the Monterey County community. “I’ve been fortunate to work alongside so many dedicated and passionate individuals who share a commitment to serving the public. I will always cherish the relationships I’ve built and the work we’ve done together. While I am stepping away from my official role, I look forward to continuing to be part of this community in new ways.”
