Porter County Treasurer Mike Bucko on Friday announced to the media his plans to file his candidacy for reelection on Jan. 11, the opening day for candidates to file for the 2012 elections.

“I am eager to campaign and excited about this coming year,” said Bucko. “I expect to be a part of another successful year in Porter County Government. I would appreciate your support at the polls in 2012.”

Bucko said he has been in office for two years but actively worked for most of three.

As mentioned in his 2008 campaign, Bucko said he wouldn’t make taxpayers happy to pay taxes but could make the process easier, the services better and the bills on time from his office’s perspective and believes he has “been very successful since taking office in 2010.”

Bucko’s goals for the next five years include:

• Working with State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, in crafting SB 191 to improve investment opportunities for Porter County. These improvements can provide investment earnings to offset revenue shortfalls and help keep taxes lower, he said.

• Reopen the closed satellite treasurer’s office somewhere that serves the needs of Porter County taxpayers.

• Continue improving the county’s tax website, making it a tool “second-to-none” in the state.

• Continue to work with the County Assessor and Portage Assessor to provide better tracking and billing practices in his office for Personal Property and mobile homes.

• Sustain the existing cooperative relationship between the Treasurer, Auditor and Assessor, and train employees to have knowledge across all three offices to better service the taxpayer.