Ken Burton Jr. was elected Manatee County Tax Collector in 1993.  Prior to his election as Tax Collector, he served as data processing administrator for the Tax Collector’s office from 1985-1992.  He is a Certified Florida Tax Collector (CFC) through the Florida Department of Revenue and is the President-elect of the Florida Tax Collector’s Association (FTCA).  He served as Treasurer of the FTCA for six years.

Tax Collectors deal with a variety of duties and responsibilities and provide a myriad of important public services that allow them to exercise valuable leadership in government.  Along with their own local involvement in personnel and financial management matters, Tax Collectors participate in the management of the executive branches of state government that include the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles, and the Department of Revenue.

Through the leadership of Ken Burton Jr., the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office has been innovative in a number of areas.   You know he’s a forward thinker when the Office’s web address is – www.taxcollector.com.  Out of thousands of Tax Collectors on the internet around the world, only the Manatee County Tax Collector’s internet address bears the simple designation “taxcollector.”  Expanding his technology vision, Manatee County was the first in the State to sell Hunting & Fishing Licenses online; and in fact, was the first Tax Collector’s office to offer the free E-check to customers who transact business on his website.

Active in the community, Ken is a member of the Gillette First Baptist Church, serves on the Palmetto Christian School Board of Advisors, is a member of the Business Advisory Board of Palmetto High School.  He is an ordained Baptist Deacon and served an at-large member of the 4-H Foundation for many years.  He has coached little league for nearly twenty years, and was the punter/kicker for the Manatee Gladiators semi-professional football team in its inaugural year.  The Gladiators is  a non-profit organization that benefits area youth.

Not only does Ken believe in giving back to the community, he encourages his staff to be involved as well.  Senior management have earned the Certified Florida Collector Assistants (CFCA) designation, are Leadership Manatee graduates and serve on church, civic organizations and community boards, as well as coach and help in area sports.  Among the charities and organizations the office staff has volunteered time for are Adopt-a-family, the Manatee County Fair; Care Net Manasota Pregnancy Center, Florida Highway Patrol Auxiliary, Sarasota Pops, Prevent Blindness, Gold Star Club, United Way and West Bradenton Kiwanis.

Ken is listed in the Outstanding Young Men of America 1987 and was the first person to be honored by the Florida Tax Collector’s Association with the Matt Langley Bell III Award in 2003.  He also was the recipient of the Prevent Blindness Florida’s People of Vision Award in 2004 and the Dr. Martin Luther King Outstanding Citizenship in Government Award in 2005. 

A native son, Ken graduated from Palmetto High School in 1981.  He received a BS Degree in Business Administration from Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee, where he played on back-to-back National Championship Football Teams in 1983 and 84.  He was named collegiate All-District and Honorable Mention All America. He is a 1990 graduate of Leadership Manatee.

Ken is married to his high school sweetheart Shelly Bustle.  They have three children, Ashley 20, Chad19 and James 11.