We are in the thick of campaign season and now is the time we see those vying for the same elected position starting to turn and attack each other.  Most of us tend to roll our eyes, throw away the mailers, and turn off the TV or radio. For me, as someone who has been elected and has had a long career in the financial industry; one candidate’s behavior has gotten my attention. Mike Pellicciotti has done what most are doing and is turning to partisan rhetoric attacks against his opponent State Treasurer Duane Davidson. 

Pellicciotti has been quick to misrepresent Davidson on his attendance record at Pension Board meetings. Pellicciotti fails to mention that Duane Davidson was represented at those meetings by the Assistant State Treasurer (Pursuant to RCW 43.33A.020). There have been a total of 3 women, in state history, appointed to the Assistant State Treasurer role; Davidson has appointed two of them. Both of whom are financial experts and very qualified to serve in this position. Pellicciotti is suggesting that Davidson was negligent in attendance of these important board meetings.  I believe this is a dismissive attack on successful women leaders. As a woman Senator and former Chair of the Senate Banking and Finance committee, I can tell you that the professionals Davidson has around him in the Treasurer’s office are the reason that Washington has been successful with its finances.

Davidson and his team have brought order to Washington’s finances and during his time as Treasurer, he has: refinanced Washington’s state debt savings of over $400 million, published multiple reports to stop public banking, and received a Triple A bond rating. If legislators like Pellicciotti would have listened to Davidson’s sound financial advice regarding the investments into the “Rainy Day Fund”, the state wouldn’t be in such dire straits with revenue.

Again, all these successes are not done alone. When someone is elected to office they use their best judgment to hire the most effective employees for the betterment of our state.  What has impressed me is Davidson has not only hired talented staff, he has hired strong women.

As a woman in the finance industry, I understand the challenges that are faced in a male-dominated career field. I am beyond disgusted with Pellicciotti’s criticism on the Treasurer’s office and Davidson. He is dismissing the good work of two women and the strong management of Davidson who is eager to promote women into leadership roles.

With the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage, I am saddened that I have to argue this point. Pellicciotti’s cheap partisan antics are at the expense of successful women in finance.  We need people in the Treasurer’s office to have the experience and care about the finances of the state, not another mudslinging partisan activist.  Re-elect Duane Davidson for State Treasurer.

Jan Angel is former State Senator representing the 26th Legislative District and former Chair of Senate Banking and Finance. Angel has than thirty seven years of business experience, including fourteen years in banking, nine years as a business owner with multiple locations in Kitsap and Pierce counties, and seven years in real estate sales.