Republicans Compete For Shot At Williams

State controller

State Controller J.D. Williams is the only Democrat among statewide elected officials in Idaho, and two southern Idaho Republicans are vying for a chance to take him on in November.

Harold Orien, a product manager with Hewlett-Packard in Boise, touts his MBA in financial systems and accounting and his conservative views.

Ron Pollock, a CPA from Caldwell, says he’s “the professionally qualified candidate.”

“You need to be an attorney to lead the attorney general’s office, and … you should be a Certified Public Accountant to be the state controller,” he said.

The state controller, whose pay will rise from $67,500 to $75,000 on Jan. 1, is the state’s chief fiscal officer. He pays the state’s bills, maintains the financial reporting and accounting systems, manages the state’s central computer system and serves on the Land Board.

Williams, the incumbent, holds a master’s degree in public administration and a law degree, and served as a county prosecutor and deputy attorney general before winning the office in 1990.

Orien and Pollock have widely differing styles. During a debate between the two on Idaho Public Television in early May, Orien said he had raised more than $10,000 in contributions for his campaign, while Pollock said he got just one contribution of $200 and is otherwise using his own money.

“You can’t do anything for anyone as controller,” Pollock said in explanation. “We just pay the bills.”

Pollock repeatedly needled Orien for talking too much, while Orien tried to smooth over the interruptions with a smile.

Neither has held elected office before, though Pollock ran for the controller’s post in both 1990 and 1994. Both have been active in their local parties, with Orien immediate past chairman of the Ada County Republican Party and Pollock the chairman of the Canyon County Republican Central Committee. Orien, 42, has served as a big brother, a scoutmaster and chairman of the Idaho Trust for Education. He is support product manager in the Laserjet division at H-P, where he has worked since 1984. Prior to that, he worked as a business systems consultant for the Arthur Anderson accounting firm for two years. He is married with two children.

Pollack, 63, has served as treasurer for the Canyon County Republican party and as a “get out the vote” and fundraising worker. During his long career as an accountant, he has worked with large companies like Shell Oil and Lockheed, and has participated in audits of local units of government. Pollack and his wife of 42 years raised five children.

On Land Board issues, Pollock favors the state taking over federal forest lands, saying the federal government has been “squatters.” Orien says the chance for the state to manage some federal forest land would be a “tremendous opportunity,” but warns, “You can’t do that in one fell swoop.”

Democrats have held the state controller’s post since 1958.