State Treasurer of Mississippi
Incumbent
David McRae
since January 9, 2020
SeatJackson, Mississippi
Term lengthFour years
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Mississippi
Formation1817; 207 years ago (1817)
SalaryUS$90,000

State Treasurer of Mississippi is a post created in 1817 when the state was admitted to the Union. Before the state was formed by splitting the Alabama Territory from the Mississippi Territory, an equivalent post was the Territorial Treasurer General, established in 1802.

History

The position of state treasurer was enumerated as part of the executive branch in Mississippi's first constitution in 1817. The office was filled by the choice of the Mississippi Legislature.[1] The first treasurer, Samuel Brooks, was elected on December 19, 1817.[2] The 1832 constitution stipulated that the treasurer was to be popularly elected to serve a two-year term.[3] The 1869 constitution expanded the officer's term to four years.[4]

Powers, responsibilities, and structure

Under Article 5, Section 134, of the Mississippi Constitution, the state treasurer is elected every four years. Candidates for the office must meet the same constitutional qualifications as candidates for the position of secretary of state; they must be at least 25 years old and have lived in the state for at least five years.[5] The office holder is not subject to term limits.[6] Most of the treasurer's duties are determined by state statute.[5]

The treasurer is responsible for keeping certain financial records for the state, including receipts, deposits, and disbursement of money from the state treasury.[6] The constitution requires the treasurer to review and approve all contracts for the provision of "stationary, printing, paper, and fuel" for state agencies and the legislature.[7] They also oversee public bond issues.[6] The treasurer is ex officio the treasurer of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission and chair of the College Savings Plan of Mississippi Board. They are also ex officio a member of several other state boards, including the State Bond Commission, Public Employees Retirement Board, Mississippi Business Finance Corporation, Mississippi Development Bank, License Tag Commission, Tort Claims Board, Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association Board, Mississippi Guaranty Pool Board, Economic Development Strategic Planning Task Force, State Prison Emergency and Management Board, and the Historic Properties Trust Fund Advisory Committee.[8]

The treasurer's salary is $90,000 per year, but is set to increase to $120,000 annually in 2024.[9]

List of treasurers

Territorial Treasurers General

Territorial Treasurers General
No. Territorial Treasurers General Term in office Party Source
1 Abner Green 1802 – 1807 [10]
2 Samuel Brooks 1807 – 1817 [10]

State Treasurers

State Treasurer
No. State Treasurer Term in office Party Source
1 Samuel Brooks 1817 – 1818 [10]
2 Peter Schuyler 1818 – 1821 [10]
3 Samuel C. Wooldridge 1821 – 1828 [10]
4 James Phillips Jr. 1828 – 1836 [10]
5 Charles C. Mayson 1836 – 1838 [10]
6 James Phillips Jr. 1838 [10]
7 J. A. Vanhoesen 1838 – 1839 [10]
8 Silas Bowen 1839 [10]
9 S. Craig 1839 [10]
10 James G. Williams 1839 – 1840 [10]
11 Joshua S. Curtis 1840 – 1841 [10]
12 Richard S. Graves 1841 – 1843 [10]
13 William Clark 1843 – 1847 [10]
14 Richard Griffith 1847 – 1851 [10]
15 William Clark 1851 – 1854 [10]
16 Shields L. Hussey 1854 – 1860 [10]
17 Malcolm Decater Haynes 1860 – 1865 [10]
18 W. B. Weaver 1865 [10]
19 John H. Echols 1865 – 1869 [10]
20 William H. Vassar 1869 – 1874 [10]
21 G. H. Holland 1874 – 1875 Republican [10]
22 M. L. Holland 1875 [10]
23 William L. Hemingway 1875 – 1890 [10]
24 J. J. Evans 1890 – 1896 [10]
25 A. Q. May 1896 – 1900 [10]
26 J. R. Stowers 1900 – 1901 Democratic [10]
27 George W. Carlisle 1901 – 1902 [10]
28 Thad B. Lampton 1902 – 1904 [10]
29 William Jones Miller 1904 – January 20, 1908 Democratic [10]
30 George Robert Edwards January 20, 1908 – January 15, 1912 Democratic [10]
31 Peter Simpson Stovall January 15, 1912 – January 17, 1916 Democratic [10]
32 John Peroutt Taylor January 17, 1916 – January 19, 1920 Democratic [10]
33 Larkin Seymour Rogers January 20, 1920 – October 18, 1920 Democratic [10]
34 William Moseley Murry October 18, 1920 – January 19, 1924 Democratic [10]
35 Ben Shem Lowry January 21, 1924 – January 16, 1928 Democratic [10]
36 Webb Walley January 16, 1928 – 1932 Democratic [10]
37 Lewis S. May 1932 – 1936 [10]
38 Newton James 1936 – 1940 [10]
39 Lewis S. May 1940 – 1944 [10]
40 Newton James 1944 – 1948 [10]
41 R. W. May 1948 – 1952 [10]
42 Newton James 1952 – 1956 [10]
43 Robert D. Morrow Sr. 1956 – 1960 [10]
44 Evelyn Gandy 1960 – 1964 Democratic [10]
45 William Winter 1964 – 1968 Democratic [10]
46 Evelyn Gandy 1968 – 1972 Democratic [10]
47 Brad Dye 1972 – 1976 Democratic [10]
48 Ed Pittman 1976 – 1980 Democratic [10]
49 John L. Dale 1980 – 1980 Democratic [10]
50 Bill Cole 1980 – 1988 Democratic [10]
51 Marshall Bennett 1988 – 2003 Democratic [10]
52 Peyton Prospere 2003 – 2004 Democratic [10]
53 Tate Reeves 2004 – 2012 Republican [10]
54 Lynn Fitch January 5, 2012 – January 14, 2020 Republican [10]
55 David McRae January 14, 2020 – present Republican [10]

References

  1. ^ Busbee 2014, pp. 73–74.
  2. ^ Rowland 1904, p. 124.
  3. ^ Busbee 2014, p. 87.
  4. ^ Rowland 1904, p. 31.
  5. ^ a b Winkle 2014, p. 95.
  6. ^ a b c Clark, Eric (December 2007). "The Government of Mississippi: How it Functions". Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  7. ^ Winkle 2014, p. 83.
  8. ^ "Your Treasury". Office of the Mississippi State Treasurer. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  9. ^ Pender, Geoff (April 7, 2022). "Amid vetoes, Gov. Reeves lets pay raises for elected officials pass". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be Mississippi Official and Statistical Register 2021, p. 551.

Works cited

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