Meet Robert Deitz. For more than 30 years, Robert Deitz has been proud to call Lotus home. During that time, he has become a familiar face in our community—someone who shows up, lends a hand, and invests his time in the next generation. Robert has served as a Cub Scout Pack Master, Boy Scout Troop Leader, and Assistant Scout Master. He has coached the Ponderosa High School Mountain Bike Team, the El Dorado Youth Trap Team, and three Little League teams, helping young people grow in confidence and character. Robert has also given countless volunteer hours to projects that make our county stronger. He has worked on the Rubicon Trail with the Rough & Ready Jeep Club, helped maintain the El Dorado Trail with local mountain bike teams, was a member of the El Dorado Search and Rescue team, assisted the California Montessori Project school on multiple school projects, and participated in charitable work through Light of the Hills Lutheran Church. Service has always been a part of who he is. Professionally, Robert was among the first recognized cybersecurity specialists in the United States and founded Government Tech Solutions right here in El Dorado County. His expertise has been trusted by the Pentagon, NSA, CIA, DOJ, DHS, the State Department, and other federal agencies. He authored and developed CMAS, the first contract vehicle designed to modernize purchasing and reduce paperwork in California state procurement. He also contributes to Signal, the journal of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, and other industry publications as a subject matter expert. Robert is running for the County Board of Supervisors because he believes in this community and the people who make it home. He wants to preserve our rural way of life, help residents navigate challenges with government agencies, and support practical, thoughtful policies that make El Dorado County an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. Professionally, Robert was among the first recognized cybersecurity specialists in the United States and founded Government Tech Solutions right here in El Dorado County. His expertise has been trusted by the Pentagon, NSA, CIA, DOJ, DHS, the State Department, and other federal agencies. He authored and developed CMAS, the first contract vehicle designed to modernize purchasing and reduce paperwork in California state procurement. He also contributes to Signal, the journal of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, and other industry publications as a subject matter expert. Robert is running for the County Board of Supervisors because he believes in this community and the people who make it home. He wants to preserve our rural way of life, help residents navigate challenges with government agencies, and support practical, thoughtful policies that make El Dorado County an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.
El Dorado County has a lot going for it. Crime is low, neighborhoods are well-maintained, and traffic flows better than Sacramento or most other parts of the state. We've built a strong foundation. Yet despite all of this, the county is running a budget deficit. That's not a revenue problem — it's a planning and management problem. Robert ran a business for decades. Every year, he had to look at expenses — current and future — and matched them to expected revenue. He couldn't ignore the numbers, and he couldn't spend money he didn't have. It's basic accountability. Yet it seems our current county government has done exactly that. Our current budget has a $44 million dollar “Fund Balance adjustment” on it. That is borrowing for money we do not have. We need to take an honest look at what we have, what we can do to increase revenue, how we can make the county more customer focused, and how we're spending taxpayer dollars today. Businesses drive our economy and generate the revenue the county depends on. Programs like the ranch marketing budget bring far more money into the county than they cost — that's smart fiscal policy. Yet we've cut that budget, and we have rural businesses that have closed down. And now we have a deficit. There are many other areas that need the same scrutiny, but the principle is simple: every decision should be evaluated on cost versus benefit — not personal preferences, political beliefs, or lack of knowledge. Today we have some county employees need public assistance because they aren't earning a livable wage. At the same time, county executives are earning over $300,000 per year. That's not right. If we're going to ask residents to trust us with their tax dollars, we need to treat all employees fairly — not just the people at the top. At the same time the local farmers markets are now asked to fill out a new form asking who is going to be there a week in advance. They do not know who is going to be there a week in advance, yet this is a new form that someone needs to process. And that cost money. Want to remodel your kitchen or bathroom? In San Francisco and other locations your contractor gets their permit online, instantly. No site visit is required for the permit, only when the job is done. Here you wait – which cost you and the county money to process those visits and forms. We can do better – and run government for less money and with better service. I advised the most powerful CIO’s on the planet on how improve their technology. I want to do that here. When we get revenues in line with expenses, we can make sure everyone is treated fairly — employees, residents, and businesses alike. No one should feel like they don't want to live here or work for the county. That's our job as leaders. We have the resources to do it. We just need the right management to make it happen. There are too many examples of increased regulation and decreased customer service to think we are heading in the right direction. This is a core focus of my campaign. We can not provide fire safety, police services, protect open space, maintain roads and infrastructure when we are making painful cuts to the budget.
Everyone says "Let's keep it rural" — but what does that actually mean? El Dorado County is roughly 45% federal land, so by definition, much of our landscape will remain undeveloped. And we have a General Plan that designates where building and open space is set aside for. But that doesn't mean we can't do more to protect what makes this place special. Ranches, farms and small businesses have been the backbone of El Dorado County since its founding. Did you know this county was once one of the largest grape-growing regions in the country — long before Sonoma Valley was even settled? These working lands are more than scenic backdrops. They host weddings, fundraisers, award ceremonies, and community picnics. They draw tourism dollars and give residents a place to gather and celebrate. Most of these events happen on weekends, so they don't add to weekday traffic congestion (Apple Hill season excepted). This is generating revenue while not impacting existing infrastructure. Yet county government has made it harder for ranch, farm, camping, rafting, and off road operators owners to host these events or expand their business’s. High permit costs, excessive regulation, unreasonable zoning requirements, long application times. Look at the facilities that have closed. That's backwards. Government should be supporting these activities, not standing in the way. Reducing red tape and lowering costs will help our rural economy thrive — and that's what "keeping it rural" really means. We are one of the only counties in the state that does not have a tourism department. There is a reason the other counties have this – it brings in revenue. When we approve or deny new housing or commercial development, we need to ask: How does this affect our people and our wildlife? How does it impact the character of this county? Let's support open space, small business and agricultural activities — not be a roadblock to them. That's the kind of leadership El Dorado County deserves. And that takes someone who knows the county and has participated in all our events and activities. I have been involved with this community for over 35 years and know our people.
I know firsthand what it takes to build a business in El Dorado County. In 1997, I founded Government Technology Solutions out of my home, providing cybersecurity services to state and federal agencies. This wasn't a simple business — it required navigating a complex web of government contracts, certifications, registrations, and rigorous financial reporting. Most competitors in this space had hundreds of employees and hundreds of millions in revenue. I built it from my kitchen table. As the business grew, I invested in the community by constructing what was at the time the most expensive commercial building in the county, the "Brick and Stone Building" on Durock Road. I designed it to reflect El Dorado County's historic rural character, built to look as though it had stood since the 1860s. Funding and managing the construction while simultaneously running the business and meeting demanding historical and building requirements was no small feat. And along the way, I ran into unnecessary roadblocks from the building, fire, and transportation departments — many of which made little practical sense. That experience shaped my conviction: government should be a partner to business, not an obstacle. I will work to make county government more responsive, more accountable, and genuinely easier to work with — so that the next entrepreneur with a big idea doesn't get buried in red tape before they ever open their doors. I have spoken to many business owners that are experiencing more regulations, more permits, longer wait times, no response from the county to questions or even showing up for meetings. And our technology is out of date and not integrated. With AI emerging as a major process automation force we can streamline applications, automate approvals and forwarding, make available progress and task yet to do without a phone call or waiting for a email response. This makes us more efficient with less people, and speeds up opening or expanding business’s here. And that creates revenue for the county with less cost or provide. That is how you balance a budget.
Have questions or suggestions? I would love to hear from you!