Letters: Let's keep electing a local auditor/treasurer

At the last Carlton County board of commissioners meeting (Aug. 13), the commissioners voted to approve a resolution changing the office of auditor/treasurer from an elected to an appointed position. If that becomes official in a few weeks, then any person from outside of Carlton County can apply for the auditor/treasurer position. If that position is an elected position — that person would have to be a Carlton County resident.

The last person in that position was local, paid taxes locally, and did an incredible job during his tenure. Now the commissioners want to make the change to have a small group of people make choices that voters of Carlton County should be making at the polls. (It also opens up the opportunity for nepotism and to put friends into positions without anyone challenging their decisions or voting for the person in a public election.)

All positions that are up for election must require certain qualifications of the candidates — even our commissioners. Public forums and public outreach by all candidates will always help in sorting and selecting the best ones. It is important for us in Carlton County to continue to elect local people from our county to offices within our county structure and government. The people we elect must and should have a close connection to the people and our communities — and be part of our county on a permanent basis.

Finally, getting people to vote is an ongoing issue. If residents don’t get to choose their county auditor/treasurer, it takes away one more reason to go to the polls. It is important that every eligible voter should feel that it is their right and their responsibility to vote at every opportunity available to them.

Clarence Badger, Cloquet