Mailbag: Parisi is a proven manager of city’s money

On Monday, I attended a Laguna Beach candidates forum at the City Council chambers. For the first time in 17 years, our city treasurer, Laura Parisi, is being opposed in her reelection bid. Anne McGraw is also running for the office.

While competition and debate for political offices should always be encouraged, we need to be cognizant about who is investing the city’s money.

Parisi has demonstrated a consistently high investment return on our money while arguing for internal controls. On the other hand, McGraw has not shown experience in managing Laguna Beach’s large investment dollars. With her three-minute speech, all she really did was attempt to attack Parisi.

This is what a candidate who does not have the experience or education to be city treasurer does.

McGraw commented that we don’t need a treasurer who is a certified public accountant, as Parisi is. Well, if you look around at cities mentioned by McGraw, several are in financial and legal trouble because they did not have experienced or educated personnel as city treasurer.

I want the city’s money to be managed by a proven money manager — Parisi.

Jeffrey A. Miller
Laguna Beach