To the Editor:
Why mess with success? Greenwich has an elected tax collector for the obvious reason that town residents are best served by being able to exercise direct control over that office. Accountability for the tax collector’s performance will only be lessened if town voters are denied the opportunity to decide who holds this office.
And, by the way, the facts indicate that town departments headed by elected officials are more cost conscious than departments headed by appointed persons, many of whom do not live in Greenwich.
Republican Tod Laudonia has earned re-election to his fourth term. Through his own initiative Tod became the first Greenwich tax collector to become certified by the Connecticut Tax Collectors’ Association. His department has collected in excess of 99 per cent of the tax levy in each year Tod has been tax collector. Tod has introduced policies and processes which are making his office more efficient and user-friendly.
The office of tax collector is critical to the effective running of town government. It is also especially critical to any resident experiencing personal difficulties in paying his or her taxes.
I urge voters to re-elect Tod Laudonia, a Greenwich native, as tax collector. We are all better off if one our neighbors holds this important position.
John R. Raben
Greenwich
