As much as we might sometimes like to think it’s not true, the fact is money makes the world go around.

We saw first hand in late 2008 and early 2009 how a quickly evaporating credit market can nearly topple one of the world’s biggest economies.

Cash is king and knowing just how much cash one has — or needs — is royally important knowledge.

That’s why we applaud Natchez Alderman Dan Dillard’s efforts to convince others in city government to quickly consider making a fundamental change to the Natchez City Charter.

After years of receiving suspect information from the Natchez City Clerk’s Office, Dillard proposes doing away with electing city clerks and making the position become an appointed one instead.

His reasoning is simple: the oversight of taxpayer money is critical to keeping government moving forward.

As aldermen prepare to create the 2014-2015 city budget, they do so not only after having to hire both an outside auditor but also another local accounting firm to give the city’s finances a once over.

It’s the only way city leaders feel they can work from reasonable certainty that their budget figures are sound.

But the extra step causes the city to invest more taxpayer money just to figure out what the city clerk’s office should already be able to provide.

The demands of the office have grown beyond a simple political one to being one in which professional accountancy is a necessary skill. It’s time to bring the city’s process for finding a person to handle this important role into the 21st century, too.