EX-STATE REPRESENTATIVE RUNNING FOR TREASURER

Former state representative Nancy Farmer of St. Louis quit her job this month to campaign for state treasurer.

Farmer, a Democrat, worked as assistant treasurer under state Treasurer Bob Holden for the past year and a half.

She served five years as a state representative for District 64, leaving that post in 1997. She worked in the St. Louis city administration briefly before taking the assistant treasurer job.

Farmer said she is committed to public service.

She said Missouri's state treasurer's office is one of the most fiscally responsible in the nation.

Farmer began her career in public service by heading up a neighborhood organization dealing with "potholes and police." She is the only announced candidate for state treasurer in the 2000 election who has worked in the treasurer's office.

If elected, Farmer said she would push the new higher education funding program that will allow Missourians to set aside money to pay for college or other post-secondary schooling.

Farmer said the treasurer's office is vital to state government even though it doesn't get the public attention that other offices do.

The governor and the treasurer are the only two statewide offices with term limits.

Farmer said that's because both offices deal with money.

"It's a key office in economic development and cash management policies for the state," she said.