>> their government watchdogs and guardrail Guyger's who reviewed the books of state county and public agencies.

The state auditor of public accounts is one of the races on Kentucky statewide ballot in November.

And we introduce you to the 2 contenders now on connections.

♪ ♪ Thank you so much for joining me for connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Election Day in Kentucky is fast approaching and among the statewide contests, voters will cast ballots for is the office of State auditor.

Republican Allison Ball is the current state treasurer and GOP nominee and the Democratic nominee is Kimberly Reader.

Both women sat down with me recently to discuss their background experience and why they want the job.

First stop is Republican Allison Ball.

♪ Treasure a ball.

It's good to see you think it's great to be here?

Yes.

So when we talked, we were just how many days from the election.

Why think were 43?

We're getting really close.

Can you believe that is already upon here?

And, you know, newbie to this, right, you this will be your 3rd time that you've run statewide their time running for office at a statewide level.

even though I know the drill like it's a lot of work.

>> Yeah.

And I'll be glad when it's done.

So tell us about a typical day on the campaign trail and then you're still should do a full time job as treasurer.

Sure.

I do know there is a typical day.

That's one of the things that I've learned through this process is that there's a lot of variations and all righty.

So the challenge is always how do you have a campaign fully cause?

It's basically a full-time job campaigning.

>> And then you still have your day job, which is the treasurer's role.

And, you know, I love doing that.

So we have to balance all the time.

The official work that has to be done.

Sometimes it's on the home.

She's out on the road.

But you've got also get to put 2000 Murray last Saturday.

You know, you've got to go all all corners of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

And so it is that that challenging balance.

I'm doing your official work that you put there to do and also getting your message out for people to know what you're running for.

And I've got 2 kids.

Yeah, you know what to do?

>> Which is a full-time job on its own.

So, you know, we live by the calendar are very intentional.

We We've been able to balance it so for far.

But, you know, it's tough.

Yeah, Bebe, crazy, some talk yeah, some people would say that in this age of political divisiveness, like why do you do this?

>> Why do you want to do this and do it again?

You shot it twice.

What do you want to do it this time as auditor?

Sure.

That's a great question today.

>> You know, as you and I know, because we talk about this before, I really am a person of faith in our relationship with Jesus is the most important thing for me to me.

So I really am very prayerful about what it was to be spending my time doing.

And I've really felt like that that this is a calling.

This is what I'm supposed to do with this season of my life have a background that lends itself to that have an interest that lends itself to that.

You're right.

It is a divisive time.

It is a time of real polarization.

And I try to do things the right way and be a statesman and be an example of that.

So I think you need to be called into this because it is tough.

It is hard.

You need to feel like there's a higher purpose in doing it.

Yeah, it's it's a difficult season.

But all the more reason why we KET people who I think see this is public service.

Yeah.

>> The strength of the You all are all kind of similar in age, right?

Who are current officeholders and even you know, the ticket that's running, right.

So talk about the camaraderie, you know, is it is real is it appears to be when we see photo opportunities and that kind of that's a good question.

there's a lot of camaraderie.

I think we're a group that likes each other.

You know, it doesn't hurt that.

We all have very similar beliefs.

So, you know, we thought were further a cause.

We all believe in.

>> I think it also it helps that a lot of us are the same age in our oldest one is Mark Metcalf is running for treasure.

And so he brings the agent sage advice.

You need that balance to like I'm I'm not one to say you've got to be, you know, in your 20's to make it a difference to this.

There is a great value in having some experience behind you, too.

>> But it is fun.

Have a youthful, energetic ticket.

A number of us have young kids and we can share those experiences and in the vision.

So, yeah, there's a lot of camaraderie which helps a lot of the campaign trail because it's more fun.

>> Yeah.

Are you all touring together?

It's like the Good will probably do more of that as we get towards the So a lot of it for me is focusing on my race.

Not everybody understands the auditors re.

So I've got a lot of education out there.

Let people know.

>> The work that I've done, the work that I want to do, what the role is about.

So so I really do spend a lot of time focusing on on the my race.

I'm the one who's tasked with making sure people understand it.

At the same time there is overlap.

You know, we will go to the parades, a high, especially if the GOP event were often the same thing.

I think we get towards the end will be a lot same events.

But yeah, we get we get on.

Well, be right.

When we should say, you know that you made history by being the first mom while in office.

You gave birth twice while in You also garnered the most votes in both of those races.

That's true, Bob, both times you're an so many people would say why did you choose auditor and not governor?

>> Yeah, it's a great question.

And I really did consider governor.

It's something I do have interest in.

There are things that I would like to see happening in Kentucky.

You certain initiatives I care about and I heart my husband, I we talked about it.

We prayed about it.

And we've got 2 small kids who just turned 5 just turn to try to figure out, you know, where where does God want me right now?

Where my most useful just through prayer discussion of figuring out what I felt like auditor was the right next step is similar in a lot of ways to treasure.

It's not unusual to have people go from one office to the other because it uses the same kind of skill set.

And I really believe in fiscal responsibility, you know, of someone who believes the financial literacy being good with money.

So it's the kind of job that I really do enjoy.

So it's a natural fit.

>> Yeah, and they're both watchdog.

There are positions, right?

Because, you know, auditor, Harmon would say, you know, I'm a watchdog, know treasure of also she's a watchdog.

What's the difference between the 2 in terms of their watchdog is a mature.

So, yes, you're right with a bocce described as being a watchdog.

And the way to understand is one is a watchdog of the front and the Treasure Guards.

The bank account make sure that whatever is paid in Kentucky is constitutional is legal is correct.

So that front and garden the dollars.

>> The auditor does exactly what it sounds like.

The Otter is the watchdog on the back in.

So what's money's been spent?

The auger make sure that money is used correctly.

That processes are correct.

Things are being done the right way.

And if not, then the auditors responsible for making sure there's accountability.

There's transparency.

People are aware of it.

I was a prosecutor for 4 years.

So I think that's a really good thing to remember.

And not only have have been treasure.

I've been a watchdog.

I'm ready to go in that role.

But I was a prosecutor and the arteries role has more of a prosecutorial responsibility to it.

So I know how to investigate.

Make sure people are held accountable.

You know, I get excited about being fiscally protecting against waste and fraud and abuse.

So and all those things go hand in hand to serve in that role as a watchdog on the back end.

>> So sometimes and the races down is there are issues and themes that come up that seem a little farfetched for that office to concerned with when it comes to where you stand on abortion or transgender issues how how do you feel how important is it, do you think for you to communicate to voters where you stand on some of those really vital values issues?

That's a question.

I do think it's important.

Remember what the job is about it because it can get derailed in people's >> That my job is about fiscal responsibility.

Accountability.

When comes to government spending.

And so I was trying my people, that's the job.

You know, that's what you want.

Make sure people are qualified to do.

Now.

It is important.

People know where you stand on certain hot issues.

You know, I am pro life and I've always been pro-life is something that that is guided me in every officer in foreign just my political involvement in general.

it's important for a lot of people to know where you stand on the issue.

I'm happy to tell people, but I think it is also important to remember this is the job.

The job is about accountability and fiscal responsibility.

And I actually think that that's one of the reasons why people have voted for me on both sides of the on the aisle because they recognize the jobs that had the previous one.

The one right now, the one I'm applying for there about fiscal responsibility.

So there are people that disagree with me on some issues like black lives are people who disagree with me.

But but they will say she's good on fiscal responsibility.

We want somebody who's guarding the money and I've always gotten support from from people.

I think because of that reason.

Yes.

Yeah.

So when you're telling people what the state auditor does, sure that that does the light bulb go off to they finally get to see the value of it.

Yeah, I think they do.

>> I think describing it as a watchdog to help people understand it's protecting taxpayer dollars, making sure their use the right way.

>> And it's not a hard concept.

So if you take a little bit of time to explain to people, then most the time that I do, yes, we need somebody who's good with believes in fiscal responsibility, believes in accountability in a role like that to make sure that we're doing things the right way.

yeah, people to seem to have the light bulb go off.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You know, confuse you with the IRS or anything like that.

They can be thanked disparagingly because they might make that connection.

Sure, they they can't.

That happens where the treasurer's office.

Yeah, it will get asked.

Are you the one in charge of our taxes are high and so had to do some work to explain that and does happen a little bit of the Otter's office, too, because people now understand money and they think that all the money goes to those offices.

That's right.

But they are discrete roles.

Yeah.

What are you most proud of and your 8 years?

Well, it's not quite a, but you know, you're close enough apart from Levi Marigold.

Yeah.

Haha.

>> I'm very proud of my work on financial that some of that did not exist.

The treasurer's office before I got there.

>> And it's something that I really grew to care about my whole life, but especially practicing bankruptcy law.

I got to see that people just aren't trained in this we can do a better job, making sure people have the tools they need to make good financial decisions.

So I push to make a high school requirement that before their school, you get some training on this and is now the law of the land, the current senior class of the first class to have.

This is part of the graduation requirement.

And I really believe that's going to be a generational You know, could do such wonderful things.

People if they get on the right footing to begin with when they're launches, adults are making good decisions that have the tools they need.

So I'm very proud of that.

There's a lot of things I'm proud of in the office.

I really thought to have been that watchdog Ave returned more unclaimed property than anyone else.

I launched a savings investment program for people disabilities.

There's a lot that I'm proud of, but I'm particularly proud of the financial literacy aspect.

And I'm excited that that's going to live in the office from from now on, because that's part of the off.

>> So when you think about all the things that you've accomplished with treasure in these other areas, whether it's financial literacy for young people, but also for women.

This you've held women's conference is to have empower them and take charge of their money.

The auditor doesn't seem to have that.

The perception of that capacity.

Sure.

Who will it doesn't.

It really does live with the treasurer's office a lot more.

And that's because the work that I've done.

So I got a bill passed that it's called the Kentucky Financial Empowerment Commission >> bill, and that launched that out of the treasurer's office.

So so the ability to be able to provide resources for financial literacy that lives in the and it's important.

People know that when you're voting for treasure, know that's part of the job.

But I do think the women's conference on might be able to KET.

And I'm just going with a smile mine, because I I do believe in financial literacy.

I am.

And then, you know, if I get the job as auditor, I'll be a woman in that role.

And it's a financial literacy role.

So I've cut with the idea will be maybe I can kind of KET that one because I really believe in empowering women the potential women all across the county, Kentuckyian, you know, being financially literate being good with your money.

Pass that on to the next generation.

Those are those are things all women need to be well versed in.

>> And there was wisdom in making that statutory the financial literacy right to the end is just leave with you when you left the office, yes to the women's conference is not sure that that's right.

Just about you right.

The Financial County Commission that the Treasury will always share it.

>> And it is attached to the Treasury.

So the offices inside that the Treasury and the work is done in connection to the Treasury.

And I do think this was done that because it's important enough that we need to have an ongoing yeah.

>> So it do.

You give advice to the to the Republican candidate who's running for state treasurer?

He asked me personally, I'd be happy to I really do believe that fine jewelers important.

And that's one of things that I would say.

Everyone knows the watchdog role and that's key.

You know, you don't lose sight of that.

financial literacy has the ability to make a massive impact on people's lives.

So I would say don't lose sight of that, right?

Yeah.

So after you serve a year, this is going to be my last question.

I think so.

You get this term much to you when November 7th.

Yes, thank you.

Run 2 terms or if there's a vacancy perhaps in Congress or in the >> level of DC.

But that's something you aspire to sure.

I think you always look at every opportunity as things come.

you know, we'll see what got opens up.

But I'm serving as auditor.

I'm excited about serving and doing great work in that role.

And that's my focus right You know who knows what comes next in the future?

I don't know.

As I've told you, I'm a person takes prayer very seriously.

you know, their family decisions will see what you know as time goes by one becomes available.

And and what does it seem like?

I should pursue that right now.

>> I'm very excited at the auditors Office Mile.

Thank you and thank you for your service is treasure.

I may not get a chance to tell you that again.

>> thank you so much.

And thank you for being here today led to thank you.

And I yeah.

Stay with us as we next hear from the Democratic nominee for state auditor, Kimberly Reader.

♪ >> This radar, it's good to have you here.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for having me.

Well, you have a remarkable life and this is an opportunity for viewers to get to know you not just the candidate.

They may see, but you as an individual.

So tell us about your upbringing and how that informs the person you are today.

So I was born and raised in around county.

I didn't come from a lot.

My my dad worked in a sawmill and >> Ford concrete.

My mom canned vegetables from our garden.

And she went back to school to get her undergraduate degree when she was almost 40.

And although I was the first person in my family to graduate from college, my mother graduated 6 months later with a bachelor's degree.

So she really believed in the power of education to transform lives.

I remember in the 80's when she just had a high school degree herself, her going to the Prichard Committee meetings and that met all over the state because education was so important to her.

>> And that was instilled in you.

Yes, and you went on to attend and graduate from some of the nation's best world's best higher education institutions.

Talk to us about that.

>> Well, you know, it.

I worked very to to build the the resumes to be able to attend those schools.

>> I also just got lucky.

You know, it's it's hard to it.

There are a lot of Kentuckians who who worked very hard and and don't get a break.

Always.

And so it's it was difficult.

It was, you know, when I went to a New Haven, Connecticut, I was fluent applying for the first time.

I was 17 and I we joke that it's a miracle that I'm still not stepped in La Guardia Had to navigate.

Take a look at 70.

Yeah.

I have 3 cardboard boxes with me and >> and I was really on my own and I worked a lot all through college and it was, you know, it took a lot of commitment and drive him.

Yeah.

So we should say because you don't mention it explicitly during just what you said, but you learn from Yale University.

>> Gradually the degree of political science, he went on and you've got a master of public policy from Duke and then a law degree from the University of North Carolina law School.

So no slacker here, right?

How did your mother respond?

And to all of that, that you just can't scaffolding your educational did.

You can make me get Terri Renee Adam.

She was incredibly she flew on an airplane for the first time to come to my graduation at Yale.

that was the first time we've had enough money for anyone to come visit.

And you know, she was she was very prep.

Yeah, well, I I don't want water when asked, but the area, your mother, because you had, you know, you're very successful tax attorney and then elsewhere.

>> But you came back home when she fell ill and game or caregiver.

>> Well, and so many women find themselves in in those roles going from caregivers of children to caregivers and parents as their parents age.

My mother and I had a very close relationship and she had she had a hard life right.

I mention to you, I'm off the air that these are my my grandmother's pearls.

My grandmother couldn't read or or drive.

And my mother was one of 11 kids and she was the first one to graduate from high school.

And she just she worked hard.

She she had hope when I think she couldn't even fully imagine what she was hoping for, what she was.

She believed in something she couldn't see.

And, you know, for a long time, she was diagnosed in 2014 with frontotemporal degeneration, which is the same disease that Bruce Willis suffers from.

So it's a personality altering a disease as she's very young and it she just she deserved.

My best.

And you gave it to and you still stayed in Kentucky after that.

my daughter and flee and I moved here and play was 12 years old.

She been born in California and that was a hard decision as well because I had to make choices about what was best for for my mother, but also my daughter.

And after my mother died in anslee and I did have to choose what to do and we did stay in Morehead and I believed that the values that that anslee with learn in, you know, that small town, those would be beneficial for her.

I wanted her to learn about her roots and eastern Kentucky.

And moreover, I looked around the community in can see that I could contribute that there were things that I could do.

And that's why I started teaching at the high school.

I coached the speech and debate team.

I talked with Governor Scholars program because I KET I had those skills to give.

Yeah.

Why do you want to be state auditor and why now?

Well, it's really just a continuation of the last answer.

I I I I can help.

I have.

Really valuable skills in the marketplace that can be used for this job.

They're particularly applicable in this job.

And I would like to.

Be able to use those skills to the service of Kentuckians.

I'm not just myself tour.

Is this your first foray into elected to political office?

It is.

So if you want to take a full feet, both feet planted know starting off at a local level for you, though, state law.

Well, first time I I guess that's what I that's to some degree what I've done my whole life, I think put both feet.

And what were you when we I would.

>> When I coached the speech infection during the during the pandemic, we just backed gone back into into school a couple days a week.

and I ask.

>> The students if we wanted to compete in the state tournament that year.

And you know, they they decided, yes, we would.

Then I said, well, if we're going to compete, we might as well try to win.

That's right.

And we did wonderful.

So the work ethic you inherited that in your DNA and right, what do you think your mother would say about what you're doing What?

>> What she would love is which she would, of course, be be proud of the.

>> The recognition, of course.

But I think what she would be most happy about is I I gave a few nights ago and of my my brother's youngest daughters were there and my daughter was there.

And and to be able to.

Set that example for Wyatt in our family.

What we can do, what in and it's what all Kentucky INS can do.

But the distance.

our family traveled right from my my to to being able to have the privilege seeking to to serve Kentuckians.

That goes to the to some our spirit, to the human spirit and what is possible if we if we just believe, right?

Yeah, and work hard and work and work and work hard and work hard and there used to be a Kentucky slogan, Unbridled Spirit.

Yes, right.

And and Kentuckians have that from east and west and all points and yelling, yes.

What do you hope to accomplish?

I mean, you're a tax attorney.

So numbers make a whole lot more sense to you >> I will say that at least putting them together.

But what do you hope you can accomplish in that office?

At a very high level?

I want to be a very energetic auditor.

I want to listen to the what the people want that office to shine its light on because that's what the office test.

It shows the people we're the people's money is being spent.

And and so to be able to to show show them so that it and again, this is an idealistic idea.

But being able to help them believe in the integrity of the system because if you can see how money is spent, it makes it gives you a better opportunity to believe and understand.

Yeah, yeah.

You're up against a woman who and her previous 2 races for state treasurer earned the most votes of any of the constitutional officers and she's highly regarded as someone who gets the job done.

How does that strike you?

How do you feel about your chances?

November 7th?

I feel great about our chances.

We have been now in 81 or 82 counties.

We're going to get to 120 before November.

7th.

>> And we're meeting Kentucky ends where they are and what I'm talking to them about is is my the strength of my skills for this particular office, not not any office.

This office and my commitment to service and wanting to help One way.

I think that comes out now is I do have a strong interest in public education, public education was the avenue that really gave me an opportunity to thrive.

And I think there's work that the auditors office could do in so far as looking at education funding and whether it in the way it's allocated to local school districts that that's an area of interest.

For me.

What we know.

They've been recent reports that show the funding inequities between the richer districts and the less affluent districts.

So you see state auditor's office having a role and equalizing and leveling right.

Those despair.

>> In in shining a light on them, certainly in the in being able to make sure the folks who are in the bottom quintile of counties understand that there the children are in school systems that are the disparity is greater than it was in 1989. the to shine that light there and and help them understand that.

I have to ask you how your our lived experience of growing up the way you did.

And Rowan County, how that comes to bear and how you view your role if you were elected state auditor?

Well, I think it's even come into ply in our campaign because what you learn when you don't have a lot to learn to be resourceful.

And so we've been very resourceful with our campaign funds.

We have in 1993 RV that the campaign that wheat.

That's what we used to travel around when we were in Western Kentucky, we stayed at our state park campgrounds.

So we learned to be resourceful.

I think also.

You know, I hold in my heart as far serving as a teacher serving as auditor, understanding what it's like to be a Kim reader or really if a reader.

My mother said it doesn't have power and needs someone to there will carry that responsibility for remembering the people who have no power and and want to batter want to have more stability and the auditor can't fix all of those problems.

But what the auditor can do is work really hard to make sure that that that were being a good steward of tax dollars and doing everything we can with the money we have.

Yeah.

Well, Miss Reader Kim radar, it's been a pleasure to speak with you.

Thank you.

We thank you for your time.

Good luck in the days ahead.

And we appreciate you.

Thank you very much.

>> Thanks so much for joining me today.

More candidate conversations are to come and tune in each Monday night this month to see the candidates discuss the issues on KET Kentucky tonight at 8 Eastern 7 Central Connect with me all the ways you see on your screen and until I see you again, take really good care.

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