Should the Treasurer and Collector be converted to appointed positions?

The potential retirement of John LaBrache as Town Treasurer has set a chain of events in motion leading to the possible inclusion by the Board of Selectmen of an additional article (or perhaps several) for the Special Town Meeting warrant. Presently, selectmen are evaluating whether to ask voters if they approve of changing the Treasurer’s position from elected (which it currently is) to appointed (which it currently is not).

Another option under discussion is combining the elected positions of Tax Collector and Treasurer into one single position, appointed by the Board of Selectmen.
Should either of these see the light of day at either a special or annual town meeting this spring, permit me to quote former First Lady Nancy Reagan: “Just say no.”
Would this even be on the table if Mr. LaBrache had not announced his retirement? By all accounts John has done a good job and would seem a shoo-in for re-election if he changed his mind. This last-minute flurry of activity is a knee-jerk reaction to John’s retirement announcement.

Understandably, there is concern about who might take his place. The typical rationale for proposing a switch from elected to appointed goes something like this: “Selectmen will be able to draw from a more professional and qualified talent pool if they can appoint.” Both the Town Treasurer’s office and the Tax Collector’s office are professional settings, and the current holders of these respective offices are qualified, competent and professional. Better still, they are the choices of the citizens of this town, not a five-member board.

Let’s think long and hard before surrendering the right to choose our own Collector of Taxes and our own Town Treasurer. This power belongs with the voters, unless there is some extraordinary, overwhelming reason to justify a change. In the vernacular, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Nothing seems “broken” with either office or either office-holder. So, why the sudden interest in this change? Why the rush?

Let me disclose here that I worked on the 2007 campaign of Priscilla Palombo, our current Collector of Taxes, and have been a friend of both her and her husband, the late Joe Palombo, for many years. With that said, though, my opposition to this potential combination of two positions predates Priscilla’s tenure in office.
The conversion of positions from elected to appointed sets a very dangerous precedent. And I don’t mean that as a lack of confidence in our current Board of Selectmen; I believe all five Town Fathers to be honorable people who care deeply about our community. But a change of this magnitude will extend far beyond the lifetime of this current Board of Selectmen, this current Treasurer, and this current Collector of Taxes. Not only is this a dangerous precedent, it is simply not good government to take power away from the voters.

As to a combination of the two offices, the duties of the Town Treasurer and Collector of Taxes are different. The knowledge and skills required to handle one position are different from what is required to handle the other. One manages the revenue collection of the town (no small task), and the other manages an entirely different end of the financial spectrum. We have had good, professional service from these two departments, separately, and there is no reason to think that qualified candidates will not continue to step forward when the current office occupants no longer choose to serve (or when they face re-election).

What town position might be next if this measure succeeds? Where is the line drawn between who should be elected and who should be appointed? Such a fundamental shift in our governmental structure should be thoroughly vetted by voters, not inserted as a last-minute article on a Special Town Meeting warrant.

We have (or had) a Town Government Study Committee whose charge was to evaluate and make recommendations about the structure and function of our town government. Why hasn’t this committee been involved in these initial discussions? If the Selectmen are serious about supporting this change, they should reactivate the Town Government Study Committee, or form a special citizens committee. A group of citizens should study this issue – perhaps talk with other communities to learn how this change (if it has been implemented elsewhere) has worked out. This committee should schedule some public hearings, seek citizen input, and make a recommendation to the Selectmen based on their findings. Changing one or two positions from elected to appointed should be as the result of a deliberate and thoughtful process, not something triggered by a sudden circumstance or opportunity.

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