Keep county offices accountable to Iowans

Gov. Kim Reynolds unveiled her property tax relief plan in Tuesday’s Condition of the State address. Republicans who control the Iowa Senate have their own plan, and majority Republicans in the Iowa House say their plan will come soon.

So, the debate over how best to control property taxes still is a moving target.

But one aspect of Reynolds' plan won’t have our support. And that’s giving counties the option of no longer electing county auditors, recorders and treasurers. Her plan would allow supervisors to appoint those positions.

Her rationale is that the move could save money and bring in professional management. Perhaps, although appointed officers would still need staff and resources to carry out a long list of duties, any savings would likely be small within the scope of a county budget.

But something important would be lost: accountability to voters.

Supervisors could use their authority to put friends and political allies into those offices, giving Iowa a taste of Chicago-style patronage. Voters could not fire poor-performing appointees. And we believe the risk of fraud and malfeasance would increase.

These offices have a long history in Iowa — county recorders date back to territorial times before statehood. County auditors and county treasurers were created in 1870.

Their duties are essential.

Auditors are the election commissioners for each county, in charge of voting machines, registration lists and the canvass of results. They also prepare county payrolls and handle the county’s bill payments.

The recorder is responsible for land and records management and real estate documents. The office is the licensing agent for the Department of Natural Resources, including the issuance of fishing and hunting licenses. The recorder handles vital records, marriage licenses, births and deaths.

The treasurer, as the name implies, oversees all county funds and investments, banking, and cash management. It prepares tax statements, collects property taxes and administers tax credits. The office handles motor vehicle titles and registrations.

It would be more acceptable to make these elected offices regional while remaining accountable to voters. Maybe one recorder, treasurer or auditor could work for constituents in several counties. Cost savings could still happen, and voters would keep their say.

These are just a sample of the duties handled by treasurers, recorders and auditors. Making these officials and their departments less accountable to taxpayers and their work less public isn’t efficient. We urge lawmakers to shelve the idea.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com