Tom Mowle has been able to cut cost from the Public Trustee office by 1.5 million dollars that can be use to fix roads and fund the sherrifs office. Tom Mowle can do the same for the Clerks Office which will effect you. So in the El Paso County Elections vote Tom Mowle for County Clerk and Recorder.

El Paso County and Service

This is  the most service-oriented community I’ve known.  In some cities and towns, people are wrapped up in their own affairs, paying attention to money or status.  Not here.  So many of our citizens devote much of their lives to service beyond themselves — their country, their faith, their community, or a cause they care so deeply about.  It’s odd then that we find that our local government often falls short when it comes to providing services well.

Service is at the core of what government does.  In government, service is not a means to an end, like it is in a for-profit business, but rather it is the end in itself.  The Public Trustee serves by protecting the property rights of both lenders and borrowers.  The Clerk and Recorder serves by (among other things) protecting our right to choose our own government, and by keeping records of the documents that track property ownership.

While both offices charge fees for their services, fees set by state law, and both end up sending money to the County General Fund, neither exists to “make money” for the County.  If a good steward of those fees can increase the amount of money sent to the County by reducing operating costs, that is good, but the reduction in costs must not come at the expense of service provided.  Service is first.

Responsibility to Maintain Quality Service Practices

Not only must the service be maintained, we need to be providing “good service.”  The value in that may be harder for some to see in the public sector than in the private.  Poor service in the private sector may cause your customers to take their business elsewhere, hurting the bottom line — and thus service is a means to the final goal of profits earned.  In local government, the customers cannot easily take their business elsewhere, so some may not be motivated to provide good service.  But our customers are the citizens of this county.  They can move away, or not live here in the first place.  Granted, it is probably not going to be the Clerk’s poor service that drives people away (more likely it would be problems in public safety, parks, or transportation), but each government office contributes to the people’s sense of whether or not government is working for them, or just for itself.

I will always remember that I serve you first.

In these first few posts, I’ve been introducing the campaign and the office in which I seek to serve you.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll talk more about how better service can be achieved and about my own service in the U.S. Air Force.

My Responsibilities as Public Trustee

• I protect the rights of lenders and borrowers when property is in foreclosure.  More specifically, my deputies and I make sure the banks are following the law if they are going to foreclose on someone’s home, land, or business.

• We notify property owners and other interested parties of their rights, process payments to “cure” foreclosure, and far too often these days, sell property at public auction.
• We protect the rights of lenders to foreclose on the property that was promised in case of default, but lenders generally have lawyers who look after their rights.  Usually, no one but us looks after the borrower’s property rights.

How Foreclosures Work Elsewhere

Colorado is the only state that assigns these duties to a public administrator.  In other states, foreclosure is either handled by the courts (which can be difficult and expensive for borrowers) or by a private trustee who works directly for the banks (rather than the public).  This is a better system:  we are easily accessible to the public, who can contact us for good honest information about their situation and options.

El Paso County and Foreclosures

I stepped into this post in February 2008, the day after I retired from the Air Force and just as the number of foreclosures was accelerating to the highest levels in county history.  While it looks like things will be “better” in 2010 than last year, they are not “good.”  Over $500 million worth of property was sold at auction last year, and this year it will probably be another $400 million.  While some of the foreclosure problems are rooted in national trends, we have been improving less quickly than Metro Denver has this year.

The level of responsibility in this office is very high.  We are dealing with people’s homes and businesses, and respect their rights while also recognizing the lender’s rights during default.  Last year, we were accountable for about $50 million in payments that came into this office and then was paid out to the correct party.

The Public Trustee’s Office and the Management of Funds

Our office is fully funded by statutory fees paid, almost always by banks.  Typically, we receive about $1.3 Million in fees each year.  From that money, we pay our operating expenses, and whatever is left over at the end of the year is transferred to the El Paso County General Fund.  Last year, we sent about $325K to the county, and this year anticipate sending about $800K.  Later posts will explain exactly how we have become so efficient — the El Paso County Public Trustee’s office is a “money-making machine” according to the Gazette.

This is a lot more net earned revenue than the office sent in previous years.  If you go back and look at the years before I became Public Trustee, at first it looks like the office generated more excess for the county than it does now.  This is misleading, because the County used to provide nearly $500K in “free” services to the Public Trustee — the county’s net receipts was much less than the gross reported.  We now pay for those services, which puts us on a sound footing in case the County decides not to provide them in the future.  Our current transfers to the County have already included those costs, so the net is the same as the gross.

The Public Trustee’s revenues were also artificially inflated during that time.  Colorado law specifies the fees we must collect, and allows us to pass money we pay to third parties (such as for publications) back to the banks.  From 2002-2008, the Public Trustee added a $57 fee to every foreclosure to cover mailing, printing, and copying — about $50 more than was justified by the actual costs.

Once we back out all of those hidden subsidies and unearned revenue, we can properly compare the net sent to El Paso County.  Prior to my arrival at the beginning of 2008, we annually sent only a bit over $200K (net) to the County.  Starting in 2008, that amount has increased every year, with an ever-higher percentage of our earned fees ending up with El Paso County.  That money offsets calls for higher taxes, providing more money for fixing roads or funding the sheriff.

That’s what I do as Public Trustee — I make sure that banks follow the law, provide honest information to borrowers in foreclosure, have a fiduciary responsibility over a LOT of money flowing in and out of the office, and do my best to hold down costs for the general benefit of El Paso County.

But this is not ALL I do as Public Trustee.  The next few posts will talk about the service we provide.

But it matters. It matters a lot. Here’s why:

1. Just about every citizen directly interacts with the Clerk’s office every single year, usually several times. You can’t say that about any other elected office – for most people, the Clerk is the ONLY elected office whose services they regularly use.

License Renewals: Almost everyone uses the Clerk’s services to renew license plates, and less often to renew a driver’s license and obtain title to a vehicle.

Voting: If you vote, it is the Clerk who sets up the polling place or gets you your mail-in ballot, and then it is the Clerk who counts the votes and releases the results. If you buy or sell real estate, the Clerk records the transaction, as well as any associated debt.

When the Clerk’s office becomes more efficient, more helpful, more friendly, then you benefit. You get your questions answered correctly the first time, you take care of your business more quickly, and are less frustrated with the bureaucracy.

You need a clerk who is committed to delivering better service. Later posts will describe how I’ve done this as Public Trustee and how I will deliver better service as your County Clerk.

2. The County Clerk spends a LOT of money: It matters because the Clerk’s budget, over $11 million per year, is one of the largest under the direct stewardship of a local elected official, and is about 10% of the County’s General Fund.

With that size budget, even small increases in efficiency will free up a great deal of money to be spent on other needs, such as road repairs or the sheriff – or prevent future calls for tax increases. I have cut the cost of doing work in the Public Trustee Office in half, which has saved over $1.5 million so far. Even a 10% efficiency gain in the Clerk’s Office will save over $1 million per year.

You need a clerk who is committed to less spending. Later posts will describe how I’ve done this as Public Trustee and how I will cut the cost of running the Clerk’s office – without reducing service.

3. Elections are at the foundation of our republic. It matters because we the people elect leaders who should act in our interests, and in Colorado also exercise a direct democratic voice on certain issues. Our founders fought for this freedom, and we must maintain it.

It is therefore important that the Clerk not behave like a politician. The Clerk’s job is a serious, technical, and administrative one. But it should not be political. If the Clerk emphasizes his party, advocating for his preferences to be victorious in elections, then he corrodes the trust that is essential to our political system. The Clerk must stand outside politics, making sure that everyone gets honest information and that ballots are tallied accurately.

You need a clerk who is committed to fair elections untainted by partisanship. Later posts will describe problems we have had here, and also how I taught our founding principles at the Air Force Academy and worked in Baghdad on a strategy to bring the first democratic elections to Iraq.

I am the Clerk you need. Because it matters.

Learn more about Tom Mowle and why he’s running for El Paso County Clerk and Recorder.

The following is the second most common topic of complaints – government spending habits.

El Paso County Taxes and Spending Habits

Spending: People don’t usually object to paying taxes (just the amount they pay) or to the idea that government offices spend money.  But many people don’t think that government offices are smart with how they spend money.  They see work crews they think are too big, they look at the number of people earning supervisor’s pay, they see money spent on PR rather than on trash cans and streetlights, and they wonder if government can’t get by with less.  Just as they have in their own life, and just as the business they run or work for has had to do.

We have certainly cut costs in El Paso County’s Public Trustee Office – what used to cost nearly $250 to perform is now done for about $125.  People have asked why I would do that, which is an odd question.  I believe that when I am in a position of trust over other people’s money, I owe it to those people to be a good steward of that money.  The revenue in my office is from fees paid by banks, not from taxes, but anything we don’t spend can supplement the County’s General Fund.  The County can then use that money to fix roads, or fund the sheriff, or just to put off the next time they will call for a tax increase.  I could spend more than we do, but I just feel it would be wrong to spend any more than is appropriate.

So as Clerk, just as I have done as Trustee, I will work to find ways to reduce the cost of doing work.  The Clerk, like the Trustee, is largely funded by fees but as with my current office money saved by the Clerk can be used elsewhere in the county to supplement or replace tax revenues.  There will be plenty of time to detail how I will do this in future posts; for now look at my record in office so far:  we are doing more work while spending less money, more than $1.5 million less than we would have if productivity had not improved.

Learn more about my views on cutting costs and making El Paso County Clerk’s Office more efficient.

Share your story. Have a voice.

Have you had a negative experience with the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, either with the service or inefficient practices? If so, we want to hear from you!

Leave a comment here about your experience.

A couple of common points stand out from these brief conversations, points that have influenced what I will do in office.

(The Lack of) Service at the Clerk’s Office in El Paso County

Service:  People are very annoyed with the petty inconveniences of dealing with local government — in the Clerk’s Office, but also in Regional Building, or the city police.  People dislike waiting, but even more they dislike having to make several return trips.  On the first visit, they are told they are missing some document.  On the second, they are told that there is yet another document they need that no one told them about the first time.  And on the third, they are told they didn’t need all those extra documents after all.  People want consistency in information, they want to be able to know what they need in advance, so they can get it all done in one visit.

This shouldn’t be that hard.  The Public Trustee Office has clear written standards for documents we need, and the guidelines needed by the general public are available on our website (attorneys can open up their copy of Colorado law for their guidelines).  As a result every deputy tells customers the same thing and after one trip you know what you’ll need in the future.  If we find a special case, we document that as well.

This isn’t difficult, and it can certainly be done in the Clerk’s Office.  We can also help with little things like telling people what postage they will need to send in a mail-in ballot.  And treating people courteously.  The key is being able to understand what dealing with the office is like from the perspective of someone who doesn’t work there.

Share your story. Have a voice.

Have you had a negative experience with the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, either with the service or inefficient practices? If so, we want to hear from you!

Leave a comment here about your experience.

I believe government answers to the people. Its offices must be run efficiently and effectively, always aware that its “income” is provided by the people. My Public Trustee Office is doing the double the work it did in 2006, and it is doing it with fewer staff and at lower cost. When I discovered that one of my predecessors had imposed an excessive fee, I eliminated it and refunded this year’s charges. The Commissioners were very angry about this, as they had skimmed $200,000 from this fee in 2008. It’s not their money. The money belongs to the property owners of El Paso County.

Being accountable also means answering for your record in office. I was shocked at the disarray I found in the County, compared to what I had seen in 20 years in the military. There were no clear pay scales, no common performance appraisals, and no plan for addressing critical operating needs. County operations survive thanks to the dedication of the line workers and some of the managers and supervisors – despite the lack of overall leadership. Now those officeholders want to evade term limits by swapping offices. Don’t reward poor performance. Elect new leadership.

When I am Clerk and Recorder, I will eliminate waste and inefficiency in that office. I will make sure most people are doing the work, not supervising other people’s work. I will use the free market to reduce expenses, and I will contract for commercial services rather than doing work in-house. By efficiently using the money from fees, I will increase the excess available for the County General Fund, reducing the tax burden in the county. But I will never overcharge for services, even if the Commissioners want me to.

I believe government exists to serve the people. Its offices and the services they provide should be easily accessible. My Public Trustee office is open five days a week, even in bad weather, so people can stop their foreclosure or file papers. The information on my website is available free of charge, so people can find answers to many questions on their own schedule. We do this without spending more money, because I have made my office more efficient, and focused our efforts on our central missions. With my election, you will get excellent service in the office of Clerk and Recorder.

Right now, County offices are not offering good service. Most County offices are open only four days a week. One of the Commissioners has told me that people don’t seem to mind – at least, he never hears any complaints. I do. Almost every Friday, people are in the lobby of my building wondering why the Veterans Services office is closed. The current Clerk’s approach to service was to set up his phones so that if you called the published number, you could never reach a live person in the office. That’s not the service you deserve. My deputies answer their phones, and if you want to talk directly to me, you can.

When I am Clerk and Recorder, my staff and I will be available to serve the public during normal business hours. I will find a way to maintain early voting centers outside the City of Colorado Springs – restoring the ones the current Clerk shut down in the Fountain Valley, Tri-Lakes, and Falcon/Peyton. I will help people vote by collecting Mail-In Ballots at every polling place, a service the current Clerk opposed. I will improve the website so you can easily find information on elections and on recorded documents, without having to pay for it.

Read more: What Tom Mowle Will Bring to El Paso County as Clerk and Recorder, Part 3:  Accountability

I believe government must be honest with the people. Nowhere is this more important than in the office of Clerk and Recorder, entrusted with the fairness and integrity of our elections. Our founders fought for the freedom of fair elections, and our history is filled with the struggle to extend basic rights, including the right to vote, to all citizens. When I was in Baghdad in the fall 2004, advising my commanders on the upcoming Iraqi elections, I emphasized that above all the elections must be seen as fair by the Iraqi people. The same basic principal – integrity – applies in El Paso County.

Right now, a lot of people distrust the current Clerk. This distrust starts with the way he clearly takes sides in every election – favoring one party over another, and the establishment of that party over those that prefer a different course. Then people wonder why he falsely tells some college students that they can’t register to vote. Why he shuts down certain early voting locations. Why some polling places are very well-organized and well-run, and why others are chaotic. Why he opposes every measure that would make it easier for you to register and exercise your right to vote.

When I am Clerk and Recorder, everyone will be able to trust that elections are fair and honest. I will always tell the truth about election and voting rules. I will make sure that election workers are well-trained and knowledgeable. I will welcome poll watchers and the media, in accordance with the law, to demonstrate the integrity of the process, from start to finish. If I do make a mistake, I will own up to it and correct it. Finally, I will never publicly advocate for any election or ballot issue, so there will be no reason to suspect that I am tilting the playing field so my side wins. Integrity comes first.

Read more: What Tom Mowle Will Bring to El Paso County as Clerk and Recorder, Part 2:  Service

We need leaders who will run county agencies efficiently, like a business. In a little over two years, I have cut the cost of doing work in my Public Trustee Office in half.  This has saving $1.5 million for the El Paso County General Fund, money that can be used to fix roads, fund the sheriff, or maybe stay in your own pockets.   I have done this without sacrificing service — we still protect the rights of borrowers and lenders when property is in foreclosure, most of all making sure the banks follow the rules.

We need leaders who will run county agencies honestly. This is especially true of the Clerk’s Office, entrusted with the fairness and integrity of our elections, must be above suspicion. The clerk should not be openly calling for certain election results. When I am Clerk and Recorder, everyone in the County will be able to trust our election process. As an example of integrity in action: When I found that a prior public trustee had added an extra $57 fee to every foreclosure since 2002, I eliminated the fee and refunded money to people trying to save their homes. As Clerk and Recorder, I will be accountable to you, and will manage your tax dollars responsibly.

In my Air Force career, I lived by the core values of integrity, service, and excellence. That is the choice I offer El Paso County in 2010.