Larry Cohen serves as San Diego County's appointed treasurer-tax collector and is seeking a full elected term in the Nov. 3 general election. The nonpartisan race also includes Shirley Nakawatase.

Asked why he is running, Cohen pointed to his record in our candidate questionnaire. "I've spent the past year serving as your appointed Treasurer-Tax Collector and in that time, my office maintained the county's AAA credit rating for a 27th consecutive year," he said. He added: "This office should be run by a financial professional, not a career politician … I'm asking voters to let me finish the job I started."

Candidate information

Party: He is a Democrat.

Family: "Married for 30 years to Laura and have three boys, 27, 25 and 21," Cohen said.

Education: Cohen described his schooling in our questionnaire. "I attended the International School of Manila while living overseas, then Southwestern College, before transferring to and graduating from UC San Diego with a BA in Political Science," he said. "I later earned my MBA from Strayer University in Virginia."

Experience and public service

Cohen described his work history in our questionnaire. "I currently serve as San Diego County's Treasurer-Tax Collector, overseeing a 125-person department, an $18 billion investment portfolio, and the collection of more than $9 billion in property taxes annually," he said.

He continued: "Earlier, I spent 23 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, including managing an international sales team of up to 60 people at MilliporeSigma."

Asked about previous offices, Cohen said in our questionnaire that he was "appointed by the Board of Supervisors in November 2025 after a competitive selection process." He added: "I have not previously held elected office. Prior public-sector appointments include Chief of Staff to Congressman Juan Vargas (2020–2025) … and staff to then-Councilmember Juan Vargas at San Diego City Hall (1993–1996)."

On the issues

Cohen outlined several priorities on his campaign website. He said he is focused on completing the rollout of an updated Internal Property Tax System, or IPTS. The modernization aims to increase efficiency and enhance transparency, according to Cohen.

Cohen also said he plans to expand secure e-file and online payment options to lower processing costs. He said he is committed to maintaining the county's 99% secured property tax collection rate, which he said funds schools, public safety, parks and essential services.

On hardship assistance, Cohen said he wants to expand programs that help property owners facing financial difficulty. He also said he is committed to developing programs that protect seniors from financial scams, including AI-driven fraud.

Asked what accomplishments show he can handle the job, Cohen said in our questionnaire that he has "maintained the county's 27-consecutive-year AAA credit rating and 28-consecutive-year GFOA award for financial reporting." He also cited "a record $591 million in extra investment income."

Residents can find more information about the office on the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector website. The general election is Nov. 3.