Comptroller of Maryland
Current Comptroller Peter Franchot
The Comptroller of Maryland, United States, currently Peter Franchot, is the state's thirty-third chief financial officer, elected by the people to a four-year term. The Comptroller is not term-limited. The Office was established by the second Maryland Constitution of 1851 due to concern about the potential for fraud and corruption in the administration of the Public Treasury. The constitutional duties of the Office begin with the broad mandate to exercise "general superintendence of the fiscal affairs of the State", which includes collecting taxes and maintaining the general ledger. The Comptroller (or a deputy) countersigns all checks drawn by the State Treasurer (who is elected by the General Assembly of Maryland) upon the deposits of the State. The Comptroller also prescribes the formalities for transfer of other evidence of State debt and countersigns such papers.
In addition, the Comptroller's Office audits taxpayers for compliance, handles delinquent tax collection, and enforces license and unclaimed property laws. The agency publicizes forgotten bank accounts, insurance benefits and other unclaimed assets of taxpayers. Acting as Maryland's chief accountant, the Comptroller pays the state's bills, maintains its books, prepares financial reports, and pays its state employees.
List of Comptrollers of Maryland
Order |
Name |
Term |
Party |
1 |
Philip Francis Thomas |
1851–1853 |
Democratic |
2 |
Henry E. Bateman |
1853–1854 |
Democratic |
3 |
William Pinkney Whyte |
1854–1856 |
Democratic |
4 |
William Henry Purnell |
1856–1861 |
Know Nothing |
5 |
Dennis Claude |
1861 |
Democratic |
6 |
Abram Lingan Jarrett |
1861–1862 |
Democratic |
7 |
Samuel Snowden Maffit |
1862–1864 |
National Union (previously Republican) |
8 |
Henry Hollyday Goldsborough |
1864 |
National Union (previously Republican) |
9 |
Robert John Jump |
1864–1867 |
National Union (previously Republican) |
10 |
William James Leonard |
1867–1870 |
Democratic |
11 |
Levin Woolford |
1870–1878 |
Democratic |
12 |
Thomas James Keating |
1878–1884 |
Democratic |
13 |
J. Frank Turner |
1884–1888 |
Democratic |
14 |
L. Victor Baughman |
1888–1892 |
Democratic |
15 |
Marion deKalb Smith |
1892–1896 |
Democratic |
16 |
Robert Patterson Graham |
1896–1898 |
Republican |
17 |
Phillips Lee Goldsborough |
1898–1900 |
Republican |
18 |
Joshua W. Hering |
1900–1904 |
Democratic |
19 |
Gordon T. Atkinson |
1904–1908 |
Democratic |
20 |
Joshua W. Hering |
1908–1910 |
Democratic |
21 |
William B. Clagett |
1910–1911 |
Democratic |
22 |
Charles H. Stanley |
1911–1912 |
Democratic |
23 |
Emerson C. Harrington |
1912–1916 |
Democratic |
24 |
Hugh A. McMullen |
1916–1920 |
Democratic |
25 |
E. Brooke Lee |
1920–1922 |
Democratic |
26 |
William S. Gordy, Jr. |
1922–1939 |
Democratic |
27 |
J. Millard Tawes |
1939–1947 |
Democratic |
28 |
James J. Lacy |
1947–1950 |
Democratic |
29 |
J. Millard Tawes |
1950–1959 |
Democratic |
30 |
Louis L. Goldstein |
1959–1998 |
Democratic |
31 |
Robert L. Swann |
1998–1999 |
Democratic |
32 |
William Donald Schaefer |
1999–2007 |
Democratic |
33 |
Peter Franchot |
2007–present |
Democratic |
References
External links
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