Teresa Barrett recall, West Brookfield, Massachusetts (2017)
| West Brookfield Tax Collector recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2017 Recalls in Massachusetts Massachusetts recall laws City official recalls Recall reports |
West Brookfield Tax Collector Teresa Barrett faced a recall effort in 2017 due to the incorrect processing of 2014 tax bills. She argued that while she was at fault for the processing error, the accounts were delinquent with initial bills sent prior to the administrative error. Barrett was first elected in 2001 and won re-election five times.[1] The recall ended when Barrett resigned from office on June 1, 2017.[2]
Recall supporters
Barrett was accused of being insensitive to residents with late tax payments. Recall organizers also suggested that an appointed tax collector could be fired rather than recalled. In 2015, the town voted against a measure that would have turned the tax collector's office from an elected to an appointed position.[1]
Recall opponents
Barrett responded to the recall effort by noting a 90 percent collection rate and a town audit that confirmed her ability to collect annual taxes. She also said that she tried to treat residents with late taxes with sensitivity.[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Massachusetts
Recall organizers needed to collect 523 signatures from town voters, which equaled 20 percent of the town's registered voters.[1]
Recent news
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See also
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Footnotes
