Oregon State Treasurer Candidates Debate

Salem City Club is pleased to present this debate at noon, Friday, October 8, 2010 at Mission Mill Museum

(Salem, Oregon) - Oregon's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) must have the integrity, knowledge, and skills to safeguard Oregon's finances and maximize return on state investments. On Friday, October 8, you will hear first hand from four candidates why they believe they are the right person to be Oregon's CFO. Salem City Club is pleased to present this debate beginning at noon.

The State Treasurer is an important executive office established in the Oregon Constitution. The Treasurer is the CFO for the State of Oregon and heads an office of 82 full-time equivalent positions with a budget of approximately $35.5 million total finds during the 2009-2011 biennium. The Treasury is the investment, debt, and cash management center for the State of Oregon, and also provides investment and debt services to local governments. Together with the Oregon Investment Council, the Treasurer invests state funds, including the Oregon Public Employee Retirement Fund. The Treasurer also sells state bonds, helps define the upper limit on the state's total indebtedness, and administers the Oregon 529 College Savings Network. Along with the Governor and Secretary of State, the Treasurer sits on the State Land Board. In addition to state forests, state lands include submerged and submersible lands underlying and next to navigable waterways.

Ted Wheeler (Democrat, Working Families)
Ted Wheeler received a gubernatorial appointment as State Treasurer in March 2010. Prior to this, Mr. Wheeler served as the elected chairman and chief executive officer of Multnomah County. Wheeler has worked in the financial services industry with a career that included posts at Bank of America and Copper Mountain Trust, where he was a senior manager. Mr. Wheeler is a longtime volunteer leader of several community organizations. He has earned degrees at Stanford University, Columbia University and Harvard University.

Chris Telfer (Republican)
Chris Telfer was elected to the Oregon State Senate in 2009. Other political experience includes service as a Bend City Councilor. She is a Certified Chartered Accountant with an accounting practice that serves a variety of local and national non-profit organizations. Ms. Telfer has been an officer of several Bend area voluntary organizations and community boards, and has taught college level accounting. A graduate of the University of Denver, she attended Franklin University and the University of Oregon for post-graduate work.

Michael Marsh (Constitution)
Michael Marsh is a resident of Salem. He was the Constitution Party's nominee for Treasurer in the 2008 General Election. In materials submitted to the Secretary of State and published in connection with the Secretary's 2010 General Election Military/Overseas manual for overseas voters, Mr. Marsh states his occupation as "maintenance/National restaurant chain." His prior occupational background includes hosting a Community Television Current Affairs Program. Mr. March attended Fullerton Junior College.

Walter F. Brown (Progressive)
Walter F. Brown was an Oregon State Senator - 1975 to 1987. He served 26 years U.S. Navy, retiring as Commander, and he has been a university law professor, an attorney, a county counsel and a deputy district attorney. Mr. Brown provides volunteer legal services to consumer organizations, and is an Oregon Consumer League board member. He graduated from the University of Southern California, Boston University and the University of Oregon, and attended Harvard University and the U.S. Army's JAG School.

Salem City Club is pleased to present this debate at noon, Friday, October 8, 2010 at Mission Mill Museum part of the Willamette Heritage Center. For those not on our "continuous attendee" list, you may e-mail lunch reservations to: rsvp@salemcityclub.com or call 503-370-2808 by Tuesday noon, October 5, 2010. SCC members lunch cost is $12, all others $15. Doors will open at 11:30 AM, October 8. The community is welcomed and encouraged to join us! There is a $5 charge for visitors who would like a coffee and cookie. For more information on upcoming programs, and directions to this event please go to www.salemcityclub.com.