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General Treasurer of Rhode Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
General Treasurer of Rhode Island
Incumbent
James Diossa
since January 3, 2023
Department of Treasury
StyleThe Honorable
Member ofExecutive Branch
SeatState House, Providence, Rhode Island
Term lengthFour years
Renewal once
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Rhode Island
Formation1663 (by law passed under The Royal Charter of 1663)[1]
1842 (by ratification of the Constitution of Rhode Island)[1]
First holderStephen Cahoone (under 1842 Constitution)[2]
SuccessionElection by joint session of the Rhode Island General Assembly
Websitewww.treasury.ri.gov

The general treasurer of Rhode Island is one of the five general state officers directly elected by the voters and serves as the custodian of state funds for the Rhode Island government.[3] The general treasurer is tasked with managing the state's finances and serves on a variety of boards and commissions.[3] The current general treasurer is Democrat James Diossa.

Responsibilities

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The general treasurer "is responsible for the safe and prudent management of the State’s finances."[3] The Office of the General Treasurer has stated that its mission is " to protect the state's assets with sound financial investments, strengthen the state’s financial position, encourage economic growth, operate with transparency and accountability, and ensure Rhode Islanders benefit from exceptional performance through all of the programs the office manages."[1] As part of this mission, the general treasurer's office "reconciles and disburses most state funds, issues general obligation notes and bonds, manages the investment of state funds, and oversees the retirement system for state employees, teachers, state police, judges and some municipal employees" and "is also responsible for the management of the Unclaimed Property Division and the Crime Victim Compensation Program as well as oversight of the investments for the state-sponsored CollegeBound fund."[1]

The general treasurer also serves on the board of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, the State Investment Commission, the State Retirement Board, the Public Finance Management Board, the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation, the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority and the Rhode Island School Building Authority, and he co-chairs of the Rhode Island School Building Task Force.[3]

Officeholders

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# Name Political party Term of office
1 Joseph Clark Anti-Administration Democratic-Republican 1775–1792
2 Henry Sherburne Federalist 1793–1807
3 Constant Tabor Democratic-Republican 1808-1810
4 William Ennis Federalist 1811-1816
5 Thomas G. Pitman Democrat 1817-1838
6 John Sterne Whig 1839
7 Stephen Cahoone Law and Order 1840–1850
8 Edwin Wilbur Democrat 1851–1853
10 Samuel B. Vernon Whig 1854
11 Samuel A. Parker Republican 1855–1865
12 George W. Tew Republican 1866–1867
13 Samuel A. Parker Republican 1868–1871
14 Samuel Clark Republican 1872–1886
15 John G. Perry Democrat 1887
16 Samuel Clark Republican 1888–1889
17 John G. Perry Democrat 1890
18 Samuel Clark Republican 1891–1897
19 Clinton D. Skew Republican 1898
20 Walter A. Read Republican 1898–1918
21 Richard W. Jennings Republican 1919–1922
22 Adolphus C. Knowles Republican 1923–1924
23 Richard W. Jennings Republican 1925–1926
24 George C. Clark Republican 1927–1932
25 Antonio Prince Democrat 1933–1935
26 Percival de St. Aubin Republican 1936
27 Henry A. Roberge Democrat 1937–1938
28 Thomas P. Hazard Republican 1939–1940
29 Russell H. Handy Democrat 1941–1948
30 Raymond Hawksley Democrat 1949–1976
31 Anthony J. Solomon Democrat 1977–1984
32 Roger N. Begin Democrat 1985–1988
33 Anthony J. Solomon Democrat 1989–1992
34 Nancy Mayer Republican 1993–1999
35 Paul J. Tavares Democrat 1999–2007
36 Frank T. Caprio Democrat 2007–2011
37 Gina Raimondo Democrat 2011–2015
38 Seth Magaziner Democrat 2015–2023
39 James Diossa Democrat 2023–present

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Rhode Island. Treasury Department (1663-)". State of Rhode Island. Department of State. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "Historical Rhode Island Points Worth Preserving". Providence Magazine. Providence, RI: Providence Chamber of Commerce. January 1924. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "About the Office". State of Rhode Island. Office of the General Treasurer. Retrieved April 7, 2021.