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Justin P. Oberman Statement Of Candidacy

As I’ve traveled our State over the last several months, I’ve seen the hardships our current economic crisis places on working families: missed mortgage payments, lost health insurance, unaffordable tuition bills.  I also hear from voters everywhere that they’ve lost trust in our institutions of government, and they think elected officials have only one priority: themselves.

We need new leadership in Illinois to improve the economic climate and to restore trust in government, not only for the taxpayers who fund its operations, but for entrepreneurs and other business people who are critical to creating jobs and restoring the quality of life that every Illinoisan should enjoy.

The State Treasurer is responsible for investing state and local funds and for administering programs that make it easier for individuals and businesses to access capital and overcome the challenges of our current economic climate.

My financial experience in the private sector working with small and large companies, and my executive experience in government at the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security give me a unique perspective to deliver for the people of Illinois on the chief priorities of our campaign.

It is time for new leaders to step up and get to work for the people of Illinois, to forsake personal gain and work only for the public interest. I represent a new generation of leadership.  Before age 30, I was a senior official in the federal government, managing hundreds of employees and contractors and a $150 million budget.  I’ve launched a successful business helping transportation and green technology companies grow. I am eager to help right the Illinois economy and push for a new era of honest, effective and transparent government in Illinois.

RESTORING FAITH IN GOVERNMENT

We need serious ethics reform, with serious consequences for those who break the law and abuse the public trust.  Recently, Governor Quinn wisely vetoed the flawed ethics bill passed by the legislature. The veto gives state lawmakers the opportunity to write and pass a bill that will change the way our elected officials run for office and the public’s business is conducted.

The Treasurer’s office should act where the Illinois legislature has fallen short. As an independent executive, the Treasurer can, and should, enact new rules to govern its relationships with state contractors, banks and other organizations with which it does business.

The Treasurer’s office must strive for the highest level of transparency and accountability.  Illinoisans should know how their money is being spent and invested and should be sure that their hard-earned tax dollars are not wasted on personal perks for members of the Treasurer’s staff.  The Inspector General’s reports should be made public.

CREATING JOBS AND BUILDING A GREEN ECONOMY

We must put Illinoisans back to work.  Job growth will come mainly from the private sector, and the Treasurer’s office, if run properly, has a unique role to play.  Managing Treasury programs like the Technology Development Account, Employ Illinois and Cultivate Illinois wisely will create jobs right here in Illinois.  Further, the Treasurer should take the lead in working with institutional investors around the state and across the country in bringing more investment dollars to Illinois to create jobs.  For example, Illinois is a national leader in alternative energy today, but these sectors can grow if the State plays an effective, encouraging role. 

As Treasurer, I will work with entrepreneurs, inventors, and investors – as I do today in the private sector – to bring them to Illinois.

PROTECTING TAXPAYERS

The funds managed by the Office of the Treasurer are our dollars – taxpayer money that is the product of hard work. The responsibility to manage that money cannot be overstated, nor can the consequences of mismanagement.

When programs like Bright Start, a fund dedicated to helping parents save for their children’s education, are mismanaged, the effects are devastating. Parents who have invested for their children’s future s are left without the funds to send them to school, forcing students to delay college until their parents (or the Treasurer) can find a way to replace those funds. It is unacceptable that our state and the Treasurer’s office have failed so many Illinois families on a matter of such consequence.

Investment strategies must be aligned with those whose money we manage and the goals they seek for their families and their businesses.

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I am running for Treasurer because I can contribute to renewal and recovery in our State to make long overdue changes.  I’ve made it work before in equally challenging conditions, and look forward to earning your support in this election and to the privilege of serving as your State Treasurer.