Nevada State Treasurer

Mark Andrews

Age: 56

Hometown: Not listed

Occupation: Finance

Family: Not listed

Political background: Member Independent American Party.

Nevada law strictly limits the types of investments the treasurer can make to the safest instruments. Should the treasurer have more authority to use different and potentially higher interest financial instruments? Should the rules be different for different types of money?

Our financial markets are heading into complicated and threatening waters due to the misapplication of the Millennium Scholarship and an inverted yield curve on investments. It will take wise hands to care properly for the state's treasury during the next four years. One of the candidates has ties that are too close and questionable to the former two treasurers, even having them involved directly in his campaign. It's time to clear out the 16-year rule of previous administrations. I have no such ties to them or any of the Republicans or Democrats and am therefore not beholden to anyone when it comes time to direct future state investments.

What sets you apart from your opponents?

I am the only appropriately qualified candidate. 10 years at Clark County Credit Union, rated first nationally in terms of 'return to members'. As vice president at Clark County Credit Union, I work daily with people and their financial matters. Neither of the other candidates have appropriate experience. One of them is a governmentalist who will continue building the size and cost of government and who has no financial institution background. The other is publicly acknowledged as personally bankrupt and filed a false candidate residence declaration in the last election. Do Nevadans really want any of that for their state treasurer?

Contact information:

Telephone: (702) 647-8487

E-mail: mark@markandrews.info

Mark DeStefano

Age: 45

Hometown: Las Vegas

Occupation: Financial Advisor

Family: Daughter, Nichole

Political background: Clark County Republican Party activist and National Republican Committee Team 100 member.

Nevada law strictly limits the types of investments the treasurer can make to the safest instruments. Should the treasurer have more authority to use different and potentially higher interest financial instruments? Should the rules be different for different types of money?

With higher returns comes greater risk. The state money should always be safeguarded to a very high degree. I believe that all new investment ideas should first be approved by the Legislature before being implemented by the treasurer's office. There are different rules for different kinds of money. Generally longer-term money, i.e. Prepaid Tuition and the Permanent School Fund allow investments in higher risk investments. I only need to point to Orange county California to prove the point.

What sets you apart from your opponent?

I have been in the financial services industry for more than 20 years. I have helped hundreds of small businesses grow, prosper and create new jobs. As treasurer I will work to control government spending and ensure our tax dollars are used wisely. My opponent is a trial lawyer who virtually has no financial experience.

Contact information:

Telehone: (702) 636-1414

E-mail: mark@destefanofortreasurer.com

Kate Marshall

Age: 47

Hometown: Reno

Occupation: Kate owns and operates her own private law practice.

Family: Husband John; daughters Anna and Molly

Political background: Democrat, served under both President Bush Sr. and President Clinton as a lawyer for the Department of Justice, Anti-Trust Division, where I fought financial fraud and corruption. Also served as a Senior Deputy Attorney General for Nevada, creating and building Nevada's first anti-trust unit.

Nevada law strictly limits the types of investments the treasurer can make to the safest instruments. Should the treasurer have more authority to use different and potentially higher interest financial instruments? Should the rules be different for different types of money?

I believe the state treasurer must be honest and prudent with our state's investments. I will not take the risks California's Orange County Treasurer took when he misappropriated investments and bankrupted the county's multi-billion dollar budget.

I will decrease investment risk and maximize the returns on our state's investments by cutting wasteful spending and reducing inefficiencies, not by taking risky bets with taxpayers' dollars.

As state treasurer I will:

• Implement electronic transfers to eliminate wasteful spending on armored vehicle transfer

• Renegotiate state fees with credit card companies to free up funds for investments and state maintenance of roads and buildings

• Actively manage Nevada's acquired asset portfolio, which should add millions of dollars in revenue to the General Fund

• Reduce internal spending in order to invest more dollars in our state's investment portfolios.

What sets you apart from your opponent?

On every single measure of qualification, from leadership to family values, from responsibility to financial experience, from vision to integrity, I meet the test and expectations of the voters. My opponent does not.

My financial experience is fighting financial fraud and corruption and analyzing markets, studying risk factors and making tough choices. My opponent (DeStefano) boasts learning financial responsibility and management from Thomas James Associates, a firm fined five times by federal authorities including $1.5 million for overcharging 3,000 customers.

I have a record of paying back my school loans, holding down a job, nurturing a family and playing by the rules. My opponent filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, claiming there was no way to pay back his relatively small debt. He should have filed Chapter 11 to repay his debt. Instead, he left his lenders high and dry. That's irresponsible.

I am the only candidate for state treasurer who has presented a detailed seven-point plan to move Nevada forward. My opponent supports the status quo and has questions to answer about his ethics and integrity after being removed from the ballot in 2004 for lying about his place of residence.

Contact information:

Telephone: (775) 323-4402

E-mail: kate@marshallfornevada.com