Missouri’s appointed State Treasurer is hoping to be elected in his own right. Vivek Malek points out his accomplishments during his short time as treasurer, which include lobbying for the legislature to expand funding for the MOBUCK$ program to $1.2 billion.
He also touted his three P’s.
“Protect, provide and promote,” he said. “So, protecting Missourians hard earned tax dollars as a fiscal conservative while maximizing our returns on investment, which is basically what I have done in the last 17 months. I, sitting on the MOSERS board, I made sure that our retirees’ money is not invested in China.”
In his short stint as Treasurer, he said he has returned more money than any treasurer in recent history.
“I am working hard to make sure Missourians have their money that is theirs, not the state’s because we cannot use that money,” Malek said. “Right now, the state is sitting on over $1 billion of unclaimed money. Or it is programs like MOBUCK$ which had been hugely successful during my tenure.”
Earlier this year, Malek petitioned lawmakers to raise the budget for the MOBUCK$ program after available funds were exhausted twice within twelve months. It reopened on January 2nd but shut down within hours due to high demand.
He said that, unlike some of his primary opponents, he’s not a ‘career politician.’
“I am not going to be playing all that insider baseball game as the others are,” he said. “This is a job I want. I am working to do the best that I can to serve taxpayers as a fiscally conservative state treasurer. My opponents are running to get the job, and I am running to do the job. So that’s the difference that sets me apart from them.”
Malek is running against five other Republicans for state treasurer, including Rep. Cody Smith, Sen. Andrew Koenig, Lori Rook, Tina Goodrick, and Karan Pujji. The winner will face Democrat Mark Osmack and Libertarian John Hartwig, Junior.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. on August 6, Missourinet will have reports about election night results at the top and bottom of the hour on Missourinet.com.
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