League City Councilmembers Heidi Hansing (left), Geri Bentley (center) and Hank Dugie (right)
Houston Chronicle
Matt deGrood
Hank Dugie, the man who campaigned and won a spot as treasurer on a platform calling for the office’s elimination, Thursday praised the work of legislators to bring the measure before voters in Galveston County and across the state.
“I’m very thankful for their hard work for us, getting it on the ballot so voters can have the final say,” Dugie said. “And I’m confident it will pass locally and statewide.”
Legislators passed a House Joint Resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to be added to the ballot in November. If voters in both Texas and Galveston County approve the measure, it would eliminate the treasurer’s office in Galveston County, Dugie explained.
The office would end starting Jan. 1, 2024, Dugie said.
Commissioners in Galveston County would have authority to decide how to delegate responsibilities of the office, but it would likely be divided between the county’s auditors, chief financial officer and county clerk, Dugie said.
Dugie took over as the county’s treasurer in January after a campaign he spent arguing voters should do away with the office. He vowed not to draw a salary once elected.
This will be the first time a constitutional amendment to eliminate a county treasurer's office appears before voters since 1987, according to a Ballotpedia article.
Several counties across Texas do not have a treasurer position, including Bexar and Tarrant.
Nine Texas counties and the state itself have already eliminated the treasurer's office, and none of them have ever tried to bring it back, Dugie said.
The Houston Chronicle in 2007 reported that efforts to eliminate the Harris County treasurer position hit a snag when lawmakers on both sides of the issue said it had little momentum in the Legislature. Several Republican and Democratic Harris County commissioners at the time had agreed that the death of popular treasurer Jack Cato had opened an opportunity to abolish the post.
Dugie estimated eliminating the county treasurer would save about $450,000 annually.