As the newly elected Galesburg treasurer, Elisha French's top priority while in office is to save taxpayer money, and to do that, he wants to merge the duties of treasurer and the city's finance department, ultimately doing away with the his job, he told Chicago City Wire.
The write-in candidate said this task shouldn't be difficult to accomplish, but it will require approval from the City Council after being added as a referendum on a future ballot. He said the merger could be successfully accomplished two ways.
“It can be placed as a referendum, which would completely eliminate the office, or the city council has the power as a home rule entity to change the position to no salary, move it from elected to appointed, and then to authorize appointment,” he said. “The understanding is that the appointment would be that of the finance director.”
While French is hopeful for this change, he is pleased with the job of the current finance department. He said he's not exploring a new role for himself.
“I have no plans to pursue that role or any other at present," he said.
Any changes approved by the City Council wouldn't take effect until after the 2021 election. Since French is committed to serving just one term, he would be out of office by then.
While campaigning for office, French told voters of his plan to merge the two positions and how this change could ultimately be better for the city and provide return investments. He found support in current Knox County Board members, including Brad Folger and Dick Conklin.
“Elisha will push for reform in the local government services to save taxpayers money by maximizing efficiency,” Folger told The Register-Mail.
Above all, French is willing to reallocate funds to more appropriate accounts or expenditures to further assist with the city budget.
“In 2017, the budgeted amount for the office is $45,000," he said. "I can think of a lot better things to do with that money.”
He also is looking at surrounding city budgets to see what they are doing with investments and accounts. For example, Galesburg Police and Fire pensions have a liability of $57 million, he said.
“That liability is based on if we get the expected return on investments, which in the past few years, we haven't,” he said.
French is hopeful to put those return funds back into the city he's called home all his life.
Since he was elected, he said the transition has been “rough and smooth," adding that the office is a little dysfunctional in its own way, but the staff has been welcoming and professional.
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