Allison Morrissey announced her candidacy Friday for La Plata County treasurer, pledging to provide accountability and transparency in the office handling millions in property taxes.
Morrissey, a Democrat, will likely face Republican Bobby Lieb in November’s election. Longtime Treasurer Ed Murray is retiring in January after 28 years in the position.
The treasurer’s main task is receiving and disbursing property taxes. Morrissey said property taxes are expected to fall by nearly half to $15.5 million because of declining natural gas production and lower property valuations.
“You need someone who is going to be an excellent steward of your property taxes because they are very, very precious,” she said.
The treasurer’s race in 2014 will be the first competitive election for the position in many years. Murray often ran unopposed.
“One of the things I’ve always professed,” Lieb said, “is admiration for this system of government, so it’ll be healthy for the voters of La Plata County to have a choice in this race.”
Morrissey will face a well-known opponent in Lieb, a sitting county commissioner.
“He’s well-known in the community, and it’s my job to get out in the community and have people learn about me and my qualifications,” she said.
The treasurer bills for and collects property taxes on homes and natural gas and oil operations. The office also disburses tax revenue to cities, towns and taxing districts in the county. The office has four employees besides the treasurer, and the position is not subject to term limits.
Morrissey, age 55, earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Fort Lewis College and a master’s in business administration from the University of Minnesota.
She has served as a human resources and program manager at Microsoft Corp. and at LyondellBasell, a major chemical manufacturer. It was there she worked with Phil Bryson, the founder of Durango’s Brainstorm Internet.
“I’ve worked with her in the corporate world and seen how amazing she is and how she gets things done,” he said.
Morrissey and her husband, Tom, purchased a Hesperus home in 2000 and lived there part-time until moving in full-time in 2007.
She said she wants to focus on customer service in the treasurer’s office.
“I will run the county treasurer’s office like a business and bring it out of the dark, with more communication,” she said.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
