Meet Ryan
Your Commissioner of the Revenue for the City of Roanoke
I am Ryan LaFountain, and I am proud to serve as your Commissioner of the Revenue. I have lived in Roanoke for over decade and I am proud to call Roanoke my forever home. I am a 2007 graduate of Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, graduating with Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a 2022 graduate from Virginia Tech with a Master of Business Administration.
Through my life, I have dedicated myself to the purpose of the betterment of others. In my youth, I was a member of Key Club; I have volunteered on build projects for Habitat for Humanity; I served on the Giggles and Grins social action committee with Temple Emanuel here in Roanoke; and I am a member of the Roanoke Kiwanis Club. My professional life also embodies my commitment to service.
For 14 years, I worked for credit unions, an industry defined by the motto people helping people. I served credit union members from being a teller to management – at all points working towards the goal of financial empowerment for credit union members. I believe that role of the Commissioner of the Revenue lends itself well to someone who embodies that philosophy of people helping people.
While the office of the Commissioner of the Revenue serves a substantial administrative role with taxes, the office also serves as a critical initial point of contact with small businesses who are seeking to establish themselves in Roanoke. As such, the office needs to be a bastion of trust and transparency: a forward-facing office of the city, dedicated to providing high-quality service consistently and evenly. People helping people, the philosophy which I have embraced my entire career, ensures that. As your Commissioner of the Revenue, I am excited to bring this philosophy to the office and to make change, bringing my energy and engagement to that office, spreading that energy and engagement, and bringing yet more magic to the Magic City.
Making Change for Roanoke
- Improved citizen-customer service.
- Eliminated late-filing penalties on personal cars, trucks, and trailers.
- Implemented new tax system for online filings.
- Working with small businesses and business groups.
- Engaging all communities in Roanoke
In the News ...
6th Annual Commissioners and Cans Challenge!
Commissioners of the Revenue join Feeding Southwest Virginia to combat hunger ...
Late Filing Penalties - Soon Going Away
Late Filing Penalties for personal vehicles eliminated ...
Increases in used auto values and you.
Find out how rising vehicle prices can impact your tax bill - and what you can do. ...
Why I’m running again
We have made terrific progress in improving citizen-customer service and modernizing the processes we use to deliver service. I’m once again running for Commissioner of the Revenue to keep breathing fresh air into out office and to keep delivering common sense solutions for the taxpayers of Roanoke, in the spirit of trust, transparency, and making change. We will seize this opportunity and obligation to make Roanoke a better place to do business for everyone.
