The Cecil County Examiner feels it’s vitally important to residents to provide information and fair coverage to all Cecil County candiates for office this election year. We feel that the races are being undercovered by the traditional media and thus we will be highlighting each candidate running for office and will provide regular campaign updates and interviews throughout the campaign year.
The Cecil County Examiner Spotlights Cecil County Treasurer Candidate Pam Howard
Cecil County Treasurer Pam Howard
Cecil County Treasurer Pamela R. Howard, filed for re-election on May 7, 2010, seeking a fourth term. Her sole opponent in this race as of this time is Republican Bill Feehley. The Examiner will make every attempt to spotlight Mr. Feehley as well.
Ms. Howard was hired by former Treasurer Lewis R. Jackson, Jr. as a Senior Accountant in 1991 and became Accounting Manager in 1995. Upon Mr. Jackson’s retirement, Howard was elected Treasurer and has served in that position since 1999. A lifelong resident of Cecil County, her prior experience includes Accounting Supervisor for Terumo Medical Corp, accountant for DuPont Company and Controller for a construction company. Howard’s experience in the business world began when she worked in her family’s store as a teenager.
Said Howard, “The next four years are likely to be pivotal for Cecil County. Our County continues to grow and so does the demand for services. New guidelines about everything from health care to grant compliance will create additional administrative work. Budgets will continue to be tight as the County struggles to balance increasing costs with demands to reduce taxes. As the financial arm of the County, the Treasurer’s Office is involved with all aspects of County government and will have to find cost-effective ways to handle the extra demands. It only makes sense to retain an experienced Treasurer that will not have to face these challenging issues while trying to learn even the most basic functions of the office”.
A fiscal conservative, Howard said she has consistently sought ways to hold the line on spending and find alternative methods to pay for services. This past year, at Howard’s recommendation, collection of the County recordation tax was moved from the Clerk of the Court’s Office to the Treasurer’s Office saving County taxpayers nearly $200,000 in collection fees from the State. “Under our current form of government, the Cecil County Treasurer has no authority to make budgetary decisions beyond her own office. The Treasurer’s Office is an administrative office; it is not glamorous and seldom makes headlines. However, I take very seriously my responsibility to use the taxpayers’ money in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. I believe I have demonstrated my commitment by continually finding ways to control costs without damaging customer service”, said Howard. She continued, “After all, I have a vested interest in keeping taxes low. I pay them, too!”
Pam Howard graduated from the University of Delaware in 1977 with Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. She is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), the Maryland Government Finance Officers Association (MDGFOA) and the Maryland Association of Counties (MACO). Under her direction, the Cecil County Treasurer’s Office has received the prestigious Certificate of Excellence for Financial Reporting from the GFOA for the past twelve years.
The Cecil County Examiner will report further on all candidates in this race as they make themselves available and we will provide fair and balanced coverage of this election. We thank Ms. Howard for making herself available for our questions.
Cecil County Examiner 