TREASURY OVERSIGHT ISS

TREASURY OVERSIGHT ISSUES CONTINUE
This is in response to Ms. McMurtries May 11, 2010 (Treasurer-Tax Collector responds
to oversight concerns) letter to the editor. I wish to thank her for writing as a good
debate is healthy and invigorates the election process. However, in any debate it is
important to stay on point. In her letter, there are statements that deserve comment, as
they are either irrelevant to the oversight issue or incorrect.

2. Ms. McMurtrie claims it is my contention that without the Treasury Oversight
Committee (TOC) there is no oversight of county funds. She says that there currently
is oversight by the Board of Supervisors. If the TOC is superuous, why did the
Board of Supervisors establish it and require its existence through county law? The
Board of Supervisors is focused on many other issues. Without the TOC, we lose a
level of DIRECT oversight over our tax dollars.

4. Rather than accept accountability for her lack of responsiveness to the Board
mandated committee, she attempts to pass the buck to the previous treasurer for not
holding one TOC meeting. The fact is Mr. Treacy was actually accessible,
accountable, and actively took steps to correct the situation.

5.
Unfortunately, all of Ms. McMurtries arguments amount to nothing more than an attempt
to draw attention away from the fact that over the last two years the TOC has been
allowed to languish, no new members have been brought on board and no committee
meetings have been held. This situation continues today even though the county code
requires a TOC.

While Ms. McMurtrie says that she attempted to contact some members, presumably to
hold a meeting, she did not contact me even though I was secretary of the committee,
was one of the most active members and was needed for a quorum. Additionally, the
fact that she did not return my phone calls when I tried to do my duty as a TOC member
belies her argument.

This is why I support a change in the Inyo County Treasurer-Tax Collectors ofce.
These difcult economic times call for more citizen oversight of our local taxpayer
dollars.

William Mitchel
Former Secretary, Inyo County Treasury Oversight Committee
Bishop