Western horizons; or, the no-shows had their own show.

SANTA FE, N.M. -- "Exploring New Horizons" was an appropriate theme for the Western state treasurer's annual meeting held here last Week.

Two of the most prominent treasurers in the organization took the theme literally -- they did not show up.

California's Kathleen Brown and Colorado's Gail Schuttler remained at home -- where Brown campaigned for governor and Schuttler was running for lieutenant governor.

In total, five of the 13 Western state treasurers who compose the association were no-shows. As usual, the association's representatives from two U.S. territories -- American Samoa and Guam -- were absent.

Not attending the four-day meeting was a sign of political reality, not disrespect, as California assistant treaSUrer Beverly Thomas emphasized to a plenary session where Brown's name had been listed in the preliminary meeting. program as moderator.

Brown "has her own little project going on in California that is taking up all of her daytime and nighttime hours," Thomas said.

Some of the other nonattendees were exploring new career directions as well.

In Hawaii, Gov. John Waihee appoints the top treasury official in his state, as does Gov. Walter Hickel in Alaska. Both men are leaving office at the end of their terms. That means the individuals who operate those state treasuries are also out of a job by yearend.

"It comes with the territory," said Eugene Imai, Hawaii's director of finance, speaking by phone from Honolulu where he confirmed his imminent unemployment status. In Alaska, meanwhile, the state's top finance official, commissioner of revenue Darrell Rexwinkel, resigned in June, well before the expiration of Hickel's term. His replacement, Laraine Derr, did not attend the Santa Fe meeting.

The other no-show in Santa Fe was Montana's Lois Menzies, who is director of the state's department of administration; she had a conflict and sent a staff member instead. As with Hawaii and Alaska, Montana's ex officio treasurer is appointed by the governor.

Despite the absences, overall attendance overall was a robust 179, according to a registration list. Most of the guests were placed in the corporate affiliate category. I was placed in a miscellaneous group called "other attendees," which included Matthew K. Fong, who is California's Republican treasurer nominee, and Bill Owens, Colorado's Republican treasurer nominee. Their Democratic counterparts did not attend, as far as I could tell.

When I phoned Colorado's Schuttier to find out why she was not there, she said candidly, "I am not going to be in the treasurer's office after January, [and] it is not appropriate to spend a lot of money" to attend.

Another treasurer who Will soon be exploring new horizons is David King, treasurer of New Mexico and the meeting's official host.

His presence was a dramatic reminder that state treasurers are never totally in control of their own destiny.

King was defeated in June in the Democratic primary for re-election after allegations of wrongdoing Swirled around his office. In one of the meeting's most affecting moments, King's voice choked as he recounted his travails during a plenary session on investment pitfalls and seams.

The election loss had other consequences for King. Because he leaves office in January, he relinquishes his planned one-year term as president of the National Association of State Treasurers, a job that was scheduled to begin Dec. 1.

That move created fallout of its own. The national association will not hold its annual meeting in Santa Fe, as scheduled. The June meeting's new site is expected to be on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.

Why Nevada? Nevada Treasurer Bob Seale replaced King as presidentelect. "Somebody has to do it," he said.

But before treasurers begin packing their bags, they should know that the Republican Scale must be re-elected in November. He assured me his victory "is almost a foregone conclusion." Meantime, within a few weeks we'll know how the guest list will shape up for the Western state treasurer' s meeting next year, scheduled for September or October in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The host of that meeting will probably be Wyoming Trea,surer Stan Smith, if he makes it into a fourth term of office this November. He faces Democrat Matilda Hanson, a longtime Wyoming legislator who Smith said is a tough opponent. Republican Arizona Treasurer Tony West is facing a Democratic opponent when he vies forhis second term this November.

The only Western state treasurer who is without a doubt going to be reelected in November is Treasurer Lydia Justice Edwards of Idaho, who is running unopposed for her third term.

"My plans are to continue to be treasurer in the next four years, and I have no interest in running for another post," Edwards told me. "I think this position is so very important. You can turn it into anything you want it to be -- use it as a platform for any cause." The Republican Edwards said her career goal of being appointed treasurer of the United States was dashed when George Bush lost re-election in 1992.

Of the other Western state treasurers who came to Santa Fe, Jim Hill of Oregon, Ed Alter of Utah, and Dan Grimm of Washington State are not up for re-election until 1997 or 1998.

None of them disclosed their plans to me, but they impressed me as people who might like their colleagues Brown and Schuttler, explore new political horizons someday.

"Treasurers are becoming more vocal, more involved in big-picture issues," Alter said. "And that is leading: them to higher office. These are active, challanging, questioning, openminded people, pressing for change, making-things-happen kind of people." He paused a moment. "As opposed to the olden days when someone was elected treasurer and stayed there the rest of your life."

"Exploring New Horizons" was a fitting theme for this year's meeting, but next year, perhaps, the treasurers should adopt the theme presented by last Monday's luncheon motivational speaker.

His topic? "How to Survive Almost Anything."

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