The Political Desk: State Treasurer

Here's an interesting collection. The current State Treasurer, Jim McIntire, is retiring, and there are five guys (no, not the burger chain) that are vying for the position. And each has endorsements from different areas. Here we go:

John Paul Comerford (Democrat) is at first blush the type of candidate I avoid. He's in a suit, looking like some bank president, and using the words Financial Leader in italics. Yet digging in, oh my gods, he's got the resume - numerous boards and retirement systems, appointed by Carter for President of the National Consumer Economic Cooperative Bank, founder of two community banks, Congressional nominee back in '94. Strong on financial and social issues, the need to transition away from our sales and property taxes to something more progrssive, sustainable, and fair, Endorsed by the King County Democrats and the Washington State Progressive Caucus. So, yeah. I'm on board.

Marko Liias (Also Democrat) has gotten a number of good endorsements, but got a big death hug from the Stranger. A death hug is a announcement of support which, while on the surface, sounds good, but will really remind everyone why they're supposed to be mad at recipient of the hug. The President did this recently for the new GOP Veep nominee, saying how Mr. Pence has supported the ACA, reminding all Republicans how they're supposed to hate anyone who rolled on them and accepted the ACA. The Stranger did the same thing to Mr. Liias, spending most of their space talking about how he sponsored a bill to raise payday loan rates. Mr. Liias mea culpaed on that. Mr Liias wroked on the state transportation package, and has numerous endorsements from legislators and unions. Oddly, his site doesn't mention the Stranger endorsement. Not that I blame him.

Duane Davidson (Republican) has the Seattle Times endorsement. I'd tell you what they said, but I just reached the edge of my free paywall with that group (I think I've said it before, but you REALLY don't want to put you opinions behind a pay wall). His endorsements include the "Sane Republican" branch of the party - Former Governor Dan Evans, former Secretary of State Sam Reed, and current SoS Kim Wyman. He hates income taxes, and seems to feel that to even discuss it is to engage in partisan politics. So I guess we're done here.

Michael Waite (Also Republican) has numbers. Lots of numbers. Scary numbers. None of the other candidates have so many numbers in their write-ups, and all of them point out that we're completely screwed. He doesn't tell us how we're going to get unscrewed, except to say that he will go in a different direction (but not an income tax. That's too different a different direction). Sounds like austerity to me. He's endorsed by the King County Republicans (both of them) and former AG/Governor Candidate Rob McKenna.

Alec Fisken (Still Democrat) is a former Port Commissioner. Hang on, don't run away. Mr. Fisken is one of the GOOD ones, who has fought for transparency over in that neck of the woods. He has dealt with with bond markets and has the endorsement of the the former State Treasurer, Jim McIntire. So yeah, that's a pretty good recommendation right there.

Who do I recommend? Well, while I like Mr. Fisken a great deal and respect his work at the port, I'm coming down with John Paul Comerford.

More later,