By touring the Cal State LA campus and various programs, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma was right in her element, out in the community and making sure everyone had access to the financial resources they needed.
Following the excursion, Ma sat down with the University Times (UT) for an expansive interview recapping her time as state treasurer, along with the joys and challenges of the office.
“More importantly, my dad is proud of me that I am the banker for the fourth largest economy in the world,” Ma said.
The Treasurer is one of eight constitutionally obligated statewide officers, who once handled all of California’s gold. Now the office oversees California’s nearly $3 trillion in yearly transactions. Beyond overseeing every local dollar, the Treasurer also handles the state’s investment portfolios and excess funds that the state’s Controller Office does not allocate. They also handle “the extra money” for the 2,200 local governments in the state.
