Maloy credits faith for her longevity

By James Foster
 Outlook writer

Doris Maloy

By the time Doris Maloy ends her current term as Leon County tax collector, she would have given 20 years of her life to public service.
She plans to give more as long as voters continue to return her to office. She’s doing her part, but as a devout Christian, Maloy insisted that her longevity is because of the higher power that she relies on constantly.
Maloy was recently voted back into office after taking a majority of the votes in last month’s elections. She calls it proof of the public trust and her faith.
“I believe I would not be anywhere close to where I am today if it was not for my faith,” she said.
“After graduating college my prayer was that I have a successful career. I live by treating others as you would want to be treated. I tell my staff all the time to treat others as you would want to be treated and I try to instill that in my family as well.”
Maloy has established a milestone that will stand forever. Her election in 2000 made her the first woman to run the tax collector’s office and the first African-American to do so.
That accomplishment in itself speaks volume, she said, because it could inspire other Black women to follow her path.
Maloy’s friends and supporters attest to her faith being the reason for her success since she was first elected.

 
“She is someone you can rely on and she trusts and believes in the Lord,” said Connie McCaskill, a longtime friend and former co-worker who has known Maloy since childhood.
“When she ran for tax collector, she prayed if she should run for the position before she began her campaign, McCaskill said. “As long as she’s in office, she is going to do her best. She realizes that she has the job because the public voted her in and she works for them and she will always strive to do better.”
Maloy’s tenure has been remarkable. Many have credited her willingness to listen to the community to help find ways to make her office more people-friendly as another reason for her success.
“I think it’s all about customer service,” said Maloy. “I set a vision in the office to put customer service first and making it more convenient for customers to access the office.
“I think it was those things that the customers noticed over the years and decided I was doing a good job so they voted to keep me.”
While the tax collector’s office is widely known as being the place to renew license plates, the job has many more responsibilities for Maloy. The office also plays a role in collection of various fees and investment of certain government revenues.
Finding ways to resolve tax concerns for the people she serves also is high on her list of priorities.
“As a civic servant it’s something special to serve,” she said. “I like helping people, I like trying to solve problems for individuals and I think that’s what this office does a lot. That has been my working career to be in positions where it’s working with the public and providing that public service.”
For as long as Maloy has been tax collector, she has no plans to walk away any time soon from the job that she’s obviously enjoying.
“I plan to continue in this position for as long as I have the vision and energy to do so,” she said. “I plan to continue for as long as I can in this position.”