By Suzanne McElroy
Bill Smith brings excellent qualifications and experience to the table for the job of Tax Collector in Lansdowne. He has worked for several municipalities in Delaware County in various roles; in Colwyn he served as Borough Manager and Borough Treasurer and in Lansdowne as Borough Treasurer. He currently serves as Finance Director and Treasurer in Sharon Hill. Further he has been elected to serve in Lansdowne previously as Borough Council member and Auditor. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Lansdowne Planning Commission. His experience with local governments has taught him that residents need easy access to both their Borough representatives and services. His goal is to be accessible and responsive, providing honest and fair services to all residents in the matter of their taxes.
Bill’s curriculum vitae include a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from St. Joseph’s University. In order to stay current in his field, he maintains membership in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the Institute of Management Accountants. In June he completed qualifications for Tax Collector certification as required by Act 48 which was recently passed. For added value, he is also a Notary.
Bill’s wealth of accounting experience and knowledge is enhanced by his belief in good oldfashioned customer service. While working in another municipal office, Bill observed a great number of people seeking answers to their tax questions at their Borough Hall. Borough personnel referred those questions to their off-site Tax Collector, causing both time delays and frustration on the part of the residents. While the office of Tax Collector of Lansdowne has not historically been located in the Borough Hall, Bill sees much to be gained by doing this and he is currently coordinating with Borough officials to do so. Residents with questions about taxes frequently have questions or need for information about other services. They will be provided with easy access to all Borough services and pamphlets in one location.
In preparation to serve the Borough residents, Bill has been working with the current Tax Collector. He will be purchasing the same software for a seamless transition and will have a dedicated phone line for his Tax Collector role. He will provide residents every opportunity to get their questions answered promptly, and to pay taxes, whether early, on time or through an agreed-upon payment plan.
Suzanne McElroy is Vice Chair of the Lansdowne Democratic Committee and a Committee person (additional) in the 5th Precinct.