Arizona State Treasurer Republican candidates Katherine Haley and Elijah Norton joined Ted Simons as part of “Candidates in Conversation” to discuss banking and investment management in the state.
Haley spoke about her experience as a business owner and her experience working in government. She shared how altogether, her career and the experiences that came along with it will qualify her for this position.
“Ultimately, I believe as a lifelong conservative, as someone who has spent her life in public service, I believe I have the qualifications, the experience to serve our state as the next treasurer,” Haley said.
Norton tapped into his experience of starting his own insurance organization and how the skills he has acquired will qualify him for the position.
“It’s an insurance organization, and that uniquely qualifies me because I have to invest in guidelines and they are more conservative than the guidelines and they are more conservative than the guidelines we have in some of our main funds,” Norton said.
Other than the economic forwards aspects of the job, Haley shared what she believes to be the other aspects of the job of the state treasurer.
“It is a policy job, it is an investment job, it is a stewardship job. It’s also an educational opportunity to help educate our communities about financial literacy as well as the roles that the treasurer’s office can play in support to our local communities, counties and other taxing authorities,” Haley said.
Norton also shared two of the advocacy focused things that he would like to do if he were to take on the position.
“Number one, I’m absolutely going to promote financial literacy. That’s the thing that I look very much forward to doing. I love, you know, doing whatever I can to help people become better at managing money personally. But I think that the bully pulpit is another key thing,” Norton said.
When addressing the topic of ideology in the state’s economic dealings, both candidates are against the two intermingling.
Norton said he would “invest in companies focused on making money and providing a service,” and added that he would not be “investing in companies that engage in ideology,”.
“We need to make sure we are investing, aligned with Arizona values. At the end of the day, it’s about Arizona values to get a return protecting the principle, making sure we have liquidity because we have to be able to pay our bills and then it’s about yield,” Haley said.
Moreover, when asked if they would take a more aggressive or cautious approach to the state’s finances, both candidates said that they would take a cautious approach.
