In the November
general election, voters will decide who will serve as Washington County’s
Treasurer. The candidates are incumbent Republican, Thomas Flickinger, and his
Democratic opponent, Joseph Manning. Before reviewing the credentials of the
candidates, a brief history of the English and early American position of Treasurer
is informative.
According to
Wikipedia, the position of English Treasurer is believed to have come into
existence around 1126 during the reign of Henry I. The Treasury was originally
a section of the Royal Household, having custody of the King's money. In 1216,
this role expanded, and the Treasurer was appointed to take control of the
Treasury at the seat of government at Winchester, London. The Treasurer was
originally an officer of the Exchequer who was responsible for the collection and management
of taxes.
Wikipedia
discloses that in the 16th century, the office's title developed
into Lord High Treasurer. By the reign of Henry VIII, the
position had achieved a place among the Great Officers of State, behind the
Lord Chancellor and above the Master of the Horse. Within decades, the position became
the most important in the English government with the head of finance often
becoming the de facto prime minister.
The Continental Congress created
two “joint Treasurers” of the United Colonies on July 29, 1775. Wikipedia
reveals that they were instructed to reside in Philadelphia, then the home of
the Continental Congress. Their primary responsibility was to fund the
Revolutionary War. By 1781, the U.S. faced an unremitting
financial crisis. This was underscored by the January 1781 Pennsylvania Line
Mutiny in which ten poorly fed, unpaid Continental Army regiments demanded
better conditions from Congress. Though the mutiny was put down, it convinced
Congress to implement reforms that created the departments of war, marine,
finance, and foreign affairs, each of which would be led by a departmental
executive. By a unanimous vote, Congress selected Pennsylvanian Robert Morris
as the Superintendent of Finance. Morris convinced Congress to establish the first bank to
operate in the United States. An excellent biography by Charles Rappleye, Robert Morris, Financier of the American
Revolution highlights this early American history.
Over time, each
state and eventually each local government established an appointed or elected
Treasurer. In Washington County, the Treasurer's Office is an independent elected office with the
primary mission to receive, disburse, and safeguard the monies of the County. The Treasurer collects payments of real
estate taxes and fees, state and federal grants, and other monies due the
county. Licenses issued by the office include dog, fishing, hunting, fur
trapping, and small games of chance.
Both candidates for the office responded to my written questions
concerning their respective campaigns. What follows is a summary of their
qualifications and campaign positions.
Thomas Flickinger.
Mr.
Flickinger is coming to the end of his first term in office. He has an MBA in
finance and worked extensively in the banking and credit industries. He was part
owner of a business that has been sold.
Mr. Flickinger is proud of several initiatives he has
established in the Treasurer’s office. These include improving the dog license
process, establishing “eNotice” which permits taxpayers to receive, pay, and get
their tax receipts over the Internet, and creating the Washington Abused Animal
Relief Fund. This last effort has disbursed about $6,000 to animal relief
organizations.
Mr. Flickinger points out that he convinced the office of
Pennsylvania Tax Revenue to reimburse the county for services the Treasurer was
providing. At the request of the Commissioners, he examined county finances.
The Treasurer determined that if two County bonds were refinanced, 1.75 million
dollars would be saved over the life of the bonds.
If elected to another term, Mr. Flickinger plans to “continue to
seek opportunities to improve the taxpayer experience, reduce costs, and
improve office operations.” As employees retire, his intention is to reduce
staff to further streamline the office.
The present Republican Treasurer is an avowed conservative on
both social and financial issues. Since his election in 2019, he has not
actively engaged in the political disagreements that the local Republican Party
and other elected Row Offices have launched against the Commissioners or
against the court system.
Joseph Manning.
Mr.
Manning was a career firefighter before dedicating his career to elective
public service. He ran as a Democrat for
the Washington City Council and served for 12 years. While on Council, Mr.
Manning was appointed Director of Public Safety, Director of Accounts and
Finance, and led the city’s Covid-19 Response Team.
If elected, Mr. Manning has pledged to review all operations in
the Treasurer's office to improve its functions and service. He believes that
his “30 years of experience” qualifies him to “continue my mission to provide
the best service possible.”
Mr. Manning has a refreshing view of how the candidates and
voters should view all the Row Office elections, including the Treasurer's
Office. He believes it is “a non-issue, non-partisan position that serves an
administrative role and should serve the interests of all residents, regardless
of party affiliation.” He is concerned that over the past four years “our
citizens have seen too much disruption from elected officials” and that “it is
time for a new beginning and a return to dignified government and public
service.”
Neither candidate chose to express any negative impressions
about their opponent. By all appearances, either candidate would well serve the
public’s interest as the County Treasurer.
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