Austin American Statesman Endorses to Re-Elect Dolores Ortega Carter For County Treasurer! Posted: 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 We say: Travis County elections Re-elect Ortega Carter to keep Travis County treasurer’s office free of political influence By Editorial Board Typically the race for Travis County treasurer is a sleeper, with the Democratic incumbent running unopposed in primaries for the relatively obscure post, which serves as the bank for Travis County government. And since Travis County is heavily Democratic, the outcome has been predictable. Those dynamics have kept incumbent Treasurer Dolores Ortega Carter in office for more than two decades. But Austin lawyer Ramey Ko is shaking things up, and the outcome is no longer predictable. With considerably more money than Ortega Carter and key endorsements, Ko has neutralized advantages that usually favor the incumbent. Both candidates are accomplished, but our endorsement goes to Ortega Carter, who edges out Ko with her superior qualifications and long record of solid performance. Ortega Carter, who is seeking an eighth term, is a certified county treasurer and investment officer. Yearly audits show her performance to be steady and reliable. The treasurer’s post is narrowly tailored, according to the state constitution, but important, particularly in large urban counties, such as Travis County, with large payrolls and investments. By law, the treasurer receives, accounts for and disburses all money belonging to the county and is the paying agent for county registered bonds. The treasurer also processes cash bail bond checks as well as juror payments. Unlike other county elected offices, the treasurer legally is restricted from making policy. The job pays about $95,000 a year. In assessing both candidates, voters would be wise to choose the person who understands the functions — as well as the limits — of the job. Ortega Carter fits that description; Ko does not. Ko is an up-and-coming political talent. He has good ideas for improving county government, serves on the city of Austin’s Public Safety Commission and is a skilled organizer who worked for the Obama campaign. His enthusiasm is contagious. But he seems to have settled on the treasurer’s post as a consolation prize. The office he first targeted — and was better suited for — was the District 50 state representative seat held at that time by Democratic state Rep. Mark Strama. Ko told us he was unable to run in the special election primary following Strama’s resignation because he did not meet the residency requirement. He also told us that he still intended to run for the post in the general election since he would by then meet all requirements. Nonetheless, Ko changed his mind again, he told us, after Democratic activists persuaded him to look at the treasurer’s race so as to avoid a primary fight against Celia Israel, who won the special election to fill Strama’s unexpired term but still must run in November to keep the District 50 seat. Like the odd person out in a game of musical chairs, Ko found himself with a sizable amount of campaign cash but no post for which to run. Open seats for Travis County judge and Precinct 2 races already had been claimed by formidable, well-financed candidates. Against that backdrop, Ko eyed the down-ballot treasurer’s race, which featured a lone incumbent with very little financing. Ko told us that he made the right choice in seeking the post of county treasurer. But in our discussions with Ko, he strayed into areas of county government way out of the purview of the treasurer. For instance, Ko said he would add a feature to the treasurer’s website that permits the public to search for and look at county spending. Good idea, right? The problem is that the treasurer’s office does not collect, monitor or report that information. That information is maintained by the county’s planning and budget office and controlled by the county Commissioners Court, which controls county spending and budgets. We agree that the county should establish a search feature, such as Ko proposes, but it’s up to the Travis County Commissioners Court — and not the treasurer — to take that action. Ko also told us he would use the treasurer’s post as a bully pulpit to advance policy initiatives. That, too, is worrisome, since the state constitution grants policy-making authority to the elected Travis County Commissioners Court but not the elected treasurer. In our view, the treasurer’s office should remain free of political advocacy. Ko conceded that he could find no fault with Ortega Carter’s duties as treasurer. We agree. Ortega Carter pays the bills on time. The county’s investments are safe. True, she is not flashy. And she should improve the treasurer’s website and online features. But Ortega Carter’s restraint on policy matters is a strength — not a weakness, as Ko suggests. In doing business that way, Ortega Carter has kept the office clear of political influence and partisanship. If Ko wins the office, he should follow her example. Remember that early voting ends Friday. Those who miss early voting can and should vote Tuesday, the designated day for Democratic and Republican primary elections.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Feb 2014 03:31:19 +0000
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