Treasurer candidates stress qualifications
Many Utahns probably don't know that Republican Ed Alter will have served in the elected office for 28 years when his final term ends in January — if they even realize the state has a treasurer.
But thanks to this year's heated race for the GOP nomination for treasurer, the post is becoming harder to overlook.
Candidate Richard Ellis, the current chief deputy state treasurer, is accusing his primary opponent, Rep. Mark Walker, R-Sandy, of trying to bribe him to leave the race by offering to let him keep his job at a much higher salary. Walker denies the allegations.
An attempt by Ellis to force Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, the state's chief election officer, to decide before Tuesday's election whether the allegations should be referred to the Attorney General's Office, ended up before the Utah Supreme Court.
The court denied Ellis' request shortly after hearing arguments in the case, so Ellis has taken his allegations directly to Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. Walker is preparing his own elections complaint against Ellis, according to his campaign manager, Steve Hunter.
Both candidates, however, say there's more for voters to consider than the controversy.
A private sector job in investment banking early on in his career wasn't a good fit with his personality, Ellis said.
"It was more of a sales job, wining and dining customers," he said. "I found out that wasn't me."
He's also uncomfortable with the politics surrounding his government positions.
"I find that frustrating. By nature, I'm not political," Ellis said, describing his role as an overseer of government finances as laying out options for policymakers. "I try to take politics out of it, although politics always comes into play."
Walker, 32, emphasizes his private sector experience, especially what he learned as a salesman for Zions Bank. In that position, he was responsible for getting local governments to invest in the bank's financial products rather than the state treasurer's fund.
"I come from the private sector, where you're judged on exactly what you do," Walker said.
He said he earned enough money at the bank through a combination of salary and commissions that he was able to resign in March to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest and focus full-time on running for office.
"I think people need to understand I'm not a dummy. I think I have a pretty good idea about how things work," Walker said. "Everybody wants to say, 'He was just a salesman.' That's a little bit insulting. Sales are what makes the world go 'round.'
Recent comments
I know some folks who know Mark and they were shocked to hear him...
commissions | June 21, 2008 at 11:40 a.m.
Reading Walker say he earned enough through his salary and commissions...
former banker | June 20, 2008 at 11:24 p.m.
This is the first article I've read where Walker admits he was...
wendy whiner | June 20, 2008 at 11:20 p.m.
