The comptroller of Maryland is a constitutional officer of the U.S. state of Maryland. Thirty-four individuals have held the office of comptroller since 1851, when the office was created. The incumbent is Brooke Lierman, a Democrat.
Election and term of office The comptroller is elected by the citizens of Maryland to a four-year term on Election Day in November, and takes office on the third Monday of the January next succeeding. There is no limit to the number of terms a comptroller may hold. Likewise, neither the Maryland Constitution nor the Annotated Code of Maryland prescribe any qualifications for the office, such as residency, age, or even citizenship requirements.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of comptroller, the governor may appoint a successor to serve the balance of the term. The comptroller may be removed from office by the General Assembly through impeachment. However, the comptroller cannot be recalled under Maryland law.
Powers and duties The comptroller's office was established by the second Maryland Constitution of 1851 due to concern for potential fraud and corruption in the administration of the public treasury. Pursuant to this mandate, the comptroller effectively functions as Maryland's chief financial officer. The constitutional duties of the office begin with the broad mandate to exercise "general superintendence of the fiscal affairs of the State", which includes maintaining the general ledger. To this end, the comptroller prescribes and operates the statewide accounting system, administers payroll to state employees, and prepares the state of Maryland's annual comprehensive financial report. As it concerns revenue administration, the comptroller collects taxes due to the state, conducts income and sales tax audits of taxpayers for compliance with state and local laws, processes tax returns, settles delinquent tax receipts, and enforces business licensing and unclaimed property laws. It is by virtue of the Disposition of Abandoned Property Act that the comptroller's office publicizes taxpayers' forgotten bank accounts, insurance benefits and other unclaimed assets. Likewise, the comptroller (or a deputy) draws all warrants for payment of money on the state treasury and countersigns all checks drawn by the state treasurer on state deposits. The comptroller also prescribes the formalities for transfer of evidences of state debt and countersigns such papers.
List of comptrollers of Maryland No.ImageNameTermParty1Philip Francis Thomas1851–1853Democratic2Henry E. Bateman1853–1854Democratic3William Pinkney Whyte1854–1856Democratic4William Henry Purnell1856–1861Know Nothing5Dennis Claude1861Democratic6Abram Lingan Jarrett1861–1862Democratic7Samuel Snowden Maffit1862–1864National Union (previously Republican)8Henry Hollyday Goldsborough1864National Union (previously Republican)9Robert John Jump1864–1867National Union (previously Republican)10William James Leonard1867–1870Democratic11Levin Woolford1870–1878Democratic12Thomas James Keating1878–1884Democratic13J. Frank Turner1884–1888Democratic14L. Victor Baughman1888–1892Democratic15Marion deKalb Smith1892–1896Democratic16Robert Patterson Graham1896–1898Republican17Phillips Lee Goldsborough1898–1900Republican18Joshua W. Hering1900–1904Democratic19Gordon T. Atkinson1904–1908Democratic20Joshua W. Hering1908–1910Democratic21William B. Clagett1910–1911Democratic22Charles H. Stanley1911–1912Democratic23Emerson C. Harrington1912–1916Democratic24Hugh A. McMullen1916–1920Democratic25E. Brooke Lee1920–1922Democratic26William S. Gordy, Jr.1922–1939Democratic27J. Millard Tawes1939–1947Democratic28James J. Lacy1947–1950Democratic29J. Millard Tawes1950–1959Democratic30Louis L. Goldstein1959–1998Democratic31Robert L. Swann1998–1999Democratic32William Donald Schaefer1999–2007Democratic33Peter Franchot2007–2023Democratic34Brooke Lierman2023–presentDemocratic
References
List of Comptrollers of Maryland from the Maryland Archives
External links Official website of the Comptroller of Maryland