Gay-friendly Democrat seeks (State) treasurer post

Gay-friendly Democrat seeks treasurer post
 
By Gary Barlow, Staff writer. Copyright by the Chicago Free Press
 
Alexi Giannoulias knows he’ll be replacing one of the GLBT community’s favorite politicians if he’s successful in his bid to succeed Judy Baar Topinka as Illinois state treasurer.

“The truth of the matter is that just because the treasurer doesn’t have a vote doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t have a voice,” Giannoulias says. As such, he says he’d lobby the Illinois Legislature to back civil unions for gay and lesbian couples and would strongly oppose right-wing efforts to pass a constitutional amendment banning gay and lesbian marriage.
“I think we shouldn’t be adding discrimination to the state constitution,” he says.

Giannoulias says running for the Illinois state treasurer’s job is a natural progression for him.

“It’s the office I’m most qualified for,” he says. “The state treasurer is the state’s banker. ÉMy father founded Broadway Bank in 1978 and I’ve grown up in the business—summers, nights and weekends.”

After earning an economics degree at Boston University and a law degree at Tulane University, Giannoulias returned to his family’s Edgewater-based bank. In four years, he says he’s helped it more than double in size. In each of those four years, he notes, Crain’s Chicago Business has ranked Broadway Bank No. 1 in Illinois based on its return on assets.

“It’s important to have someone with financial experience in the treasurer’s office,” Giannoulias says. “I have experience managing portfolios and investment funds of over $700 million.”

Giannoulias is in a competitive race for the treasurer’s job. Topinka is vacating the office after 12 years to run for the Republican Party nomination for governor, and Giannoulias faces Knox County State’s Attorney Paul Mangieri in the Democratic Party primary March 21 for the chance to run against the lone Republican candidate for the job—Ill. state Sen. Christine Radogno.

Mangieri has the advantage of being backed by Ill. House Speaker Michael Madigan and the state Democratic leadership, who wanted at least one Downstate candidate for statewide office on the party’s Chicago-dominated slate. But Giannoulias has still managed to pick up some key Democratic endorsements, including support from U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Ill. state Reps. John Fritchey and Harry Osterman, Cook County Comms. Roberto Maldonado and Larry Suffredin and Alds. Dick Mell, Joe Moore, Toni Preckwinkle and Gene Schulter.

“I think endorsements are great, but what it comes down to is Illinois voters are informed and intelligent, and at the end of the day they’ll choose the best candidate,” Giannoulias says.

Giannoulias is brimming with ideas about how to improve the treasurer’s office, starting with making the Link Deposit program, which has helped bolster the Center on Halsted, more involved in helping communities and small businesses grow.
“I have experience lending, and I’ve seen firsthand how giving a loan or giving somebody a hand can really help a community,” Giannoulias says.

He also believes he can improve Bright Start, Illinois’ college savings program, starting with a vigorous audit to determine if Illinois could get a better return on the program’s investments and fees.

Giannoulias also wants to explore ways to spur Illinoisans to save more and would use the treasurer’s office to make sure state residents are getting good deals from payday loan companies and similar businesses.
Giannoulias stresses that his stands are based on principles he recognized long ago.

“I’m an independent, progressive candidate and I’m not going to change,” he says. “I think it’s important for a person you elect to office that their values mirror the values of the Democratic Party.”