By Kathryn Reed

Mike Owen is back on the campaign trail in an attempt to unseat El Dorado County Auditor Joe Harn in 2018.

Owen lost to Harn in 2014.

Mike Owen is claiming to be an active CPA.

A requirement to be a county auditor in California is to be an active certified public account in good standing with the California Board of Accountancy. Owen doesn’t meet this qualification, Harn does.

A complaint has been filed with the state board. It says, “Mr. Owen’s license status is delinquent, but he is representing himself as a CPA. His website indicates that he is a CPA. His campaign business card indicates he is a CPA.”

According to the state board, Owen’s license expired Feb. 28, 2016. It was first issued in 1993.

The state Professions and Business Code says, “The holder of an inactive license issued by the board pursuant to Section 462, when lawfully using the title ‘certified public accountant,’ the CPA designation, or any other reference that would suggest that the person is licensed by the board on materials such as correspondence, Internet Web sites, business cards, nameplates, or name plaques, shall place the term ‘inactive’ immediately after that designation.”

Owen is not using the word “inactive” to describe his CPA status.

Owen did not respond to an inquiry from Lake Tahoe News.