Oregon State Treasurer Jim Hill has served his two terms in the office, the maximum allowed by Oregon’s term limit requirement, and voters must now choose a new state treasurer.
The state treasurer serves as the central bank manager for the state, manages the state’s pension fund, issues all state debt and manages Oregon’s state-owned land along with the governor and the secretary of state. Five very different candidates each feel they would serve the position best.
Democrat Randall Edwards wants to increase funding for education. Republican Jon Kvistad wants to launch a home buyer bond program and a family farm retention program. Libertarian Mitchell T. Shults wants to end all taxes on investment income and open land sales to the common public. Constitution Party member Carlos F. Lucero wants to be the Hispanic voice in the government and provide better funding for schools. Reform Party Candidate Leonard Zack wants to end special-interest control of government funds.

A voice for education funding
Edwards, currently a state representative from Portland, recently launched the College Savings Plan, which allows parents to create tax-free savings accounts for their children’s college education.
“Education is my passion. I grew up in a family of educators and know the challenge of funding schools,” Edwards said.
Edwards, who spent four years working as a senior advisor for the Oregon State Treasury, said his governmental experience gives him an edge in the race.
“In the legislature, I’m seen as the loudest voice for funding our schools,” Edwards said. “The legislature has also been a good place to learn about working with finances and elections. I’ve had a record of working in a partisan environment.”
His work in the state treasury office, and owning his own management and marketing consulting business, make him the most qualified for the post, Edwards said.
“I know a great deal about the office,” Edwards said. “Having worked there, I’ve gained the respect and trust of the staff. Based on my financial background, I have the ability to immediately accomplish what needs to be done.”

Rich in financial experience
Kvistad also says he’s rich in experience. Owning and operating his own data and direct mail business for the past 16 years has given him his own financial experience, Kvistad said.
He’s also served on the Portland Metro Government since 1992, and has been elected three times to the office of presiding officer, the organization’s head policy maker, helping create policies for land use, transportation and recycling for the 750,000 people who live in the Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville area Kvistad said.
“I am the only candidate that has direct municipal experience,” Kvistad said. “I helped push the $140 million Green Spaces Bond Measure, which purchased over 6,000 acres to turn into state parks and disperse to local governments for their use.”
Kvistad said he would look out for Oregon’s environment while overseeing state-owned lands. He mentioned his activism in the Salmon Recovery Act, which preserves and protects the habitat of Oregon’s salmon population.
The experience Kvistad has had in Portland government has helped him bring a non-partisan view to the office, he said.
“I am the only Republican in the [Portland Metro Government], and yet I’ve been elected three times by my peers,” Kvistad said. “I feel the office of treasurer should be non-partisan and not support any specific political group.”

Doing a better, faster job
Like Kvistad, Shults feels he would be the best steward of Oregon’s state-owned lands. He said he would open all state lands sales ­­ except parks and beaches ­­ to the general public.
“Currently, environmental groups and the common man can’t buy public lands,” Shults said. “I want to change this. By selling to anyone, the revenue made off of the sales can be put into the common school fund [which funds state schools] and forever benefit the school system.”
Shults has no political experience, but he said his last 20 years at Intel as director of business development for the fabric components division give him the necessary financial experience.
“My résumé far exceeds the other candidates,” Shults said. “Not only do I have financial experience, I also worked on the staff of the House Committee on the Oversight of the Interior, which helped force the resignation of Jim Watt.”
Shults thinks the treasury is run well, though he feels he could do the job better.
“It took Hill more than a year to implement the College Savings Plan,” Shults said. “I could have done it faster.”
Shults said he would implement several plans, including ending all taxation on investment income, beginning an investment in a retirement plan and allowing Oregonians to opt out of receiving federally-funded social security and instead receive state-funded social security.

Stop the ‘revolving door’
Lucero has never held office either, but hopes to be the voice for Hispanic people living in the Oregon. Lucero said he would bring financial experience to the office of treasurer. He came to the U.S. in 1970 and began working in the software industry and currently owns his own software contracting business.
Lucero said that if elected, his goal would be to create a more clean, efficient, and accountable state government. He said he would also increase education funding and eliminate the number of juvenile criminals.
“I want to make Oregon No. 1 in education,” Lucero said. “There are too many youths being punished and getting caught up in the ‘revolving door’ effect, meaning they go in when they are young and emerge as hardened criminals who end up in and out of prison for the rest of their lives.”
Lucero feels this “revolving door” process can be stopped if education improves and the number of student drop-outs decreases.

Focus on environment
Zack said he also hopes to improve education, but in a way that develops the full mental potential of each student.
He said he would focus on protecting the environment through the development of renewable, safe, non-polluting energy sources. Zack said he also wishes to invest in preventive healthcare rather than the current disease-care plan. Such preventative healthcare, he said, would include meditation.
But Zack said his main focus as treasurer would be to invest in industry that is profitable and sustainable.
“Our future needs to be secure for our children, and the only way to guarantee that is to invest in sustainable agriculture and have surpluses given to our schools.”