OpEd By Mayor Deborah Kaufman

Population Decline

As the leaves turn in our beautiful city nestled along the Mohawk River, we’re facing a quiet crisis that’s anything but picturesque. Our population has been steadily declining—from 4,850 in 2015 to an estimated 4,490 in 2025, a loss of over 7% in a decade, steeper than nearby Amsterdam’s 4% drop or Gloversville’s 3.2% decline—straining resources and making every role in city government more critical than ever.

Nowhere is this clearer than in the office of the city treasurer, where, over the past eight months, only two individuals have applied for the position. Heartbreakingly, neither was willing to subject themselves to the grueling cycle of running for elected office every four years. This isn’t just a blip; it’s a symptom of a system that’s outlived its usefulness in a small community of 3.99 square miles like ours.

NY State Requirement for Elected Positions

New York election law requires an elected official to reside in the community it serves, which has been fine for many years until our decline in population makes it impossible to find qualified candidates for positions as critical as our city treasurer’s position, where CPA-level accounting skills are required. The only way to expand the geographic draw area is to change the charter to allow an appointed Treasurer for the City.

A Necessary Change

We must change with the times and adjust the way we do business for Little Falls to thrive.  This November, voters will have an opportunity to approve the referendum to shift the treasurer from an elected to an appointed position. This change, proposed in Local Law #7 of 2025, isn’t about stripping away democracy—it’s about injecting professionalism, accountability, and fiscal prudence into a role that safeguards millions of taxpayer dollars annually.

Currently, an elected treasurer must reside within the 3.99 square miles of the City of Little Falls, a restriction that severely limits our candidate pool. Meanwhile, our current treasurer and deputy treasurer (whom we are very fond of) live just outside in the bordering communities of the Town of Little Falls and Dolgeville, less than six miles away, highlighting how arbitrary this boundary is.

An appointed treasurer opens the door to qualified professionals from nearby communities, expanding our talent pool without sacrificing local ties. Let’s break down why this matters further.

Increased Talent Pool

First, consider the talent pool. In an elected system, we’re at the mercy of whoever musters the courage (or connections) to campaign, regardless of qualifications. We’ve seen this play out before: candidates without senior accounting experience stepping into a job that demands it, forcing the municipality to foot the bill for the elected role and hire a separate expert to actually handle the books. That’s double-dipping on salaries in a budget already pinched by our shrinking tax base.

Research by economist Alexander Whalley, studying hundreds of cities, found that elected treasurers often lack the specialized expertise needed for complex fiscal tasks, leading to higher costs—sometimes 13–23% more in borrowing expenses alone—because they prioritize voter appeal over technical skill.

An appointed treasurer flips the script. The mayor, with common council consent, can nominate top-tier candidates—certified accountants, financial wizards from nearby communities like the Town of Little Falls, Dolgeville, Manheim, Herkimer, or Utica—allowing us to get the best candidate for the job.

Background Checks

But expertise alone isn’t enough if we can’t ensure trust. Elected officials in New York, including our treasurer, operate without the rigorous vetting we demand of appointed hires. There’s no authority for credit checks, criminal background checks, or deep dives into financial/work history—despite entrusting them with the stewardship of our collective millions.

In a world where data breaches and fiscal scandals make headlines, this blind spot is unacceptable. Appointing the treasurer allows us to conduct these essential screenings upfront, building a firewall against risks that could drain our coffers or erode public faith.

Accountability

Accountability takes an even darker turn with elections. If an elected treasurer underperforms—mishandling funds, missing deadlines, or simply lacking the skills—no quick fix exists. New York law ties removal to the governor, and only for egregious misconduct, not mere incompetence. Extreme behavior might trigger intervention, but garden-variety shortcomings? You’re stuck until the next election cycle, potentially years of dysfunction.

Whalley’s research underscores this: elected treasurers, insulated by their independence, can persist in suboptimal financial decisions, costing cities millions over time. We’ve seen this inertia elsewhere.  Why risk it here? An appointed treasurer under civil service protections changes that equation. They can only be removed for just cause—think proven malfeasance, not political whims—offering stability across mayoral transitions. From one administration to the next, our finances stay steady, shielded from partisan churn.

Unified Oversight

And speaking of the mayor: In our current setup, the elected treasurer doesn’t report to the chief executive officer (mayor), who holds oversight over city operations. Whalley’s study confirms this disconnect leads to inefficiencies, as elected treasurers operate in silos, often ignoring broader city goals to avoid electoral risks.

The mayor can approve budgets and veto resolutions, yet the treasurer operates in a parallel universe, unaligned with strategic priorities. Appointing the role integrates it into the executive structure, fostering collaboration without compromising checks and balances.

Little Falls has flirted with this reform before—a 2021 ballot measure to appoint the treasurer failed by a narrow margin. But that was before our population fell further, before candidate shortages became acute, and before I  highlighted these very challenges in recent discussions.

The stakes are higher now. Our city isn’t a sprawling metropolis; it’s a tight-knit community where every dollar counts, every decision echoes.

This November, join us in voting yes on the treasurer referendum. It’s a pragmatic step toward a more professional, secure, and responsive government—one that honors our past while securing our future.

Little Falls deserves a treasurer chosen for their accounting knowledge and skill.