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Thursday, July 31, 2008

Editorial: Treasurer Has A Duty To Fill



      When voters elect someone to an office, they expect him to do that job.
    With Torrance County Treasurer James Hall, taxpayers should wonder whether they are getting their money's worth.
    Hall, whose salary is listed at $45,836, lost in the Republican primary to Dorothy Sandoval. Sandoval has no opponent in the November general election and will most likely take over as treasurer on Jan. 1. Until then, Hall has to finish out his term.
    But many question how committed he is to the job. There are reports that Hall is coming into the office as little as once a month. Other people say he's in the office more than that, but they acknowledge that he does spend time in Arizona, where his children live.
    According to county statutes, an elected county official has to come into the office at least once in 30 consecutive days. That requirement means that if Hall is coming in only once a month, he makes about $3,800 for one day of work.
    County officials say the Treasurer's Office is running smoothly and the work is getting done.
    There might be some debate in that.
    Sandoval claims there have been at least 100 receipt errors in the June report the treasurer must give to the Torrance County Commission. Hall's deputy treasurer says nothing untoward is happening, that the mistakes have been errors in semantics.
    Hall could not be reached by a Telegraph reporter, leaving his deputy to explain.
    We understand there can be hard feelings after a close election. But that does not relieve Hall of the duty he has to serve the voters of Torrance County until the end of his term.
    If he no longer wants to do the job, then he should resign and the commission can appoint someone to fill his spot for five months until Sandoval takes over. If he wants the paycheck, then he should show up for work.
   

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