Who will oversee El Dorado County’s banking? Candidates center on transparency
El Dorado County’s treasurer-tax collector race is heating up with less than two weeks before the June 2 primary election.
The two candidates — Sean Coppola and Corey Leikauf — went head-to-head earlier this month at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of El Dorado County, where they provided insight into their backgrounds and, if elected, their visions for the position.
The treasurer-tax collector oversees the county’s banking, investments and tax collection efforts.
Coppola, the current treasurer-tax collector, said his top initiatives include customer service, modernizing efficiency and ensuring a high rate of investment return while safeguarding county dollars. Leikauf, who works in the auditor-controller’s office, said his top priorities are safeguarding public funds, increasing efficiency and providing accountability.
Both candidates said they want to enhance accountability and transparency. They also said they plan to publish quarterly investment reports on the department’s website.
“That’s something that we want to ensure we have on our website and easily available, not something crazy that you have to dive into and work for 30 minutes to try and get something that you’re not even sure is right,” Coppola said.
Leikauf criticized the current process for publicly sharing reports, saying it lacks transparency since he often has to dig through Board of Supervisors meeting agendas. Coppola said he hopes to put reports online next month.
Private to public sectors
While Coppola has first-hand experience in the role, both candidates shared their paths from the private to public sector. Both grew up in El Dorado County before going to college, after which they worked in the finance industry’s private sector.
“I’ve overseen teams ranging from 20 to over 200,” Coppola said. “I’ve worked with all sorts of different personalities along the way.”
Coppola’s fiancee, who is a teacher, inspired him to transition into the public sector, he said, because of the impact her job has on the community. He said he wants his career to make El Dorado County a better place not just for him but for future generations as well.
“I made the switch ... so that I could ensure my future kids have an El Dorado County to grow up in that is as great for them as it was for me,” Coppola said. “I’m in this because I truly care about each and every one of you.”
Leikauf said he hopes to use his background in both the private and public sectors to examine internal processes and enhance efficiency.
“It’s time to get a new look at these controls and procedures,” Leikauf said. “If you speed them up, make them more efficient, you have more room to manage that budget. Cut some things here, we don’t need them.”
Both candidates said they want to bring private-sector efficiencies to county services. Coppola said that could mean allowing automated payment methods, while Leikauf said he hopes to streamline processes to reduce costs.
Political influence, relationships
During the forum, the candidates were asked who their top three funders are and how they might respond to political influence.
Campaign finance disclosures through April 18 show Leikauf leading in fundraising. He raised about $47,000 in cash donations this year, while Coppola, who loaned himself $10,000, raised about $9,250. Coppola’s top donor at that time was retiree Charles Nunn, who donated $1,010, while Leikauf’s top donor was Waste Connections Inc. President and CEO Ron Mittelstaedt, who donated $5,900.
Both candidates said they rely on relationships to navigate political pressures, saying relationships with figures such as county supervisors allow them to ask questions on issues affecting county finances.
This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect Sean Coppola saying he managed teams ranging from 20 to 200 people.
