Utica, NY (WIBX) - Utica Comptroller Michael Cerminaro is responding to Councilman Joe Marino's proposal to make the City Comptroller an appointed position and not an elected one.

Cerminaro says the position of city comptroller is one of the most important publicly elected offices in city government and needs to stay that way.

He say an appointed position would only serve to take away the independence that's needed in order to keep the financial affairs of the city away from petty politics and in the hands of 5 or 6 council people.

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