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Election Day 2009

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Sherman Holland, Roanoke's commissioner of the revenue for the past 12 years, eked out a narrow re-election victory Tuesday night in a race that hinged on his job performance.

Holland defeated Republican challenger Douglas Walker by just 211 votes, or just more than 1 percentage point.

Shortly after 10:30 p.m., election workers finished counting an estimated 600 to 800 absentee ballots, sealing Holland's victory.

"Now the real work begins," Holland said. "Now I've got to go ahead and serve the taxpayers."

Walker waged an aggressive campaign in which he criticized the incumbent Democrat's job performance at nearly every turn.

"When you look at the numbers, I think people responded to our message," Walker said.

Walker had pinned much of his criticism of Holland on a report from the municipal auditor.

The 2005 audit alleged that Holland's office did not adequately assess personal property and business license taxes, raising the possibility that the city could be losing as much as $500,000 to $1 million a year in tax revenue.

The commissioner's office is responsible for assessing all business and personal property and for maintaining taxable owner records for real estate. The office also issues business licences and helps process state income tax forms before they are moved to the state.

Holland disputed the report. He questioned Drew Harmon's authority to conduct the audit, and argued that the municipal auditor lacked a full understanding of his office and its functions. The Roanoke City Council accepted his explanation and voted to file the report without action.

Another clash between the candidates involved Holland's claim on campaign literature that he is "an accredited Certified Commissioner of Revenue attested by the University of Virginia."

In fact, Holland's certification expired in 2002, four years after he obtained it.

Walker accused Holland of being "less than truthful" about his credentials.

Holland stood by his claim of being certified in 1998, even though a change in the process in 2003 requires candidates to complete courses and earn points before they can be recognized by the Master Commissioner of the Revenue Certification Program.

Holland said he never claimed to have a master certification, and that his older recognition was still a valid accomplishment, much like a college degree.

When Holland was first elected in 1997, it marked the first time a minority had won a city constitutional office.

Holland's financial background dates to the mid-1970s, when he joined the Army as a finance specialist. Four years later, he joined the city commissioner of the revenue office as a staffer and has been there ever since.

Walker moved to Roanoke five years ago to work with The Hammersley Group, which owned 11 luxury auto dealerships in central Virginia and the Roanoke Valley. After the group sold its assets last year, he decided to run for the commissioner's office.

Staff writer Katelyn Polantz contributed to this report.