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For City Treasurer, a Repeat of History
(Editor’s Note: Culver City history may be repeating itself, in a way, this spring. If the Charter Reform proposal, Measure V, passes on April 11, City Treasurer Crystal Alexander will seek to widen the voice her office has in City Hall’s financial affairs, those presently controlled by the Chief Administrative Officer Jerry Fulwood. On Dec. 10, 1992, a little more than thirteen years ago, before she came to City Hall, Ms. Alexander argued in favor of another kind of consolidation for the City Treasurer’s office. Below is the newspaper essay she wrote for that campaign, and following that, Ms. Alexander has appended her contemporary comments.)
I am in favor of the proposal to consolidate the duties of the City Clerk and the City Treasurer, and offer a professional opinion on the issue. I hold no personal stake or interest in the outcome of this debate except as an ordinary citizen of Culver City.
I have worked in public finance for eleven years, currently for Beverly Hills as Budget and Auditor Manager. I served on the Public Finance Advisory Committee, and had the pleasure of consulting with many of Culver City’s finance professionals.
The field of public finance has become complex over the last decade. There are strict guidelines on how much the city can spend, how much it can earn, how it can earn it — the list grows annually.
