• Courtesy
• H. Brooke Paige and Mike Pieciak

The Vermont treasurer manages the state's money and investments, collects and returns "unclaimed financial property" — aka your hard-earned cash — and promotes efforts to improve Vermonters' financial literacy. Treasurer Beth Pearce is not running for reelection. These are the candidates vying to replace her.

H. Brooke Paige

Age: Did not provide
Town of residence: Washington
Occupation: Retired sales executive and retail CEO
Party affiliation: Republican
Website: brookepaige.us

Is Vermont on the right track in terms of fiscal management? What would you change?

The next treasurer must be more proactive in providing the legislature with guidance on the State's ability to operate within its "means." While the state constitution requires fiscal restraint in matching expenditures to expected revenues, in recent years the state's budget has been tailored to match unrealistic "rosy projections."

What will be your top priority in office?

The next treasurer must provide the legislature with more realistic projections for the return on investments in the state pension funds. Overly optimistic estimates have resulted in a ballooning of the unfunded liability from $3 billion in 2012 to $6 billion to $7 billion today. This practice must be reversed.

Mike Pieciak

Age: 39
Town of residence: Winooski
Occupation: Former commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: MikeForVermont.com

Is Vermont on the right track in terms of fiscal management? What would you change?

Throughout the pandemic, remote work opportunities and our unique landscape have made Vermont an even more appealing place to live. We have an opportunity to welcome young families, grow our workforce, support our rural economies and ultimately generate more financial resources to support struggling Vermonters.

What will be your top priority in office?

We must strengthen Vermont's economy by supporting investments in housing, childcare and climate action. Addressing these three challenges is essential to attracting new Vermonters to our state, preserving the Vermont we love and ensuring all Vermonters have the resources to thrive, regardless of where they live.