City treasurer runs for county position

Huntington Beach’s city treasurer plans to run for Orange County treasurer tax-collector.

Shari Freidenrich filed her intention to run in March and recently announced a number of endorsements, including the Huntington Beach City Council and County Supervisor John Moorlach.

“The citizens of Orange County deserve to have their tax dollars protected and managed by a professional who has an unblemished record of investing public funds safely and who has a proven track record of performing all duties required for the treasurer-tax collector position,” Freidenrich said in an e-mail.

Freidenrich is the only treasurer from a public agency in the running to replace outgoing Treasurer Chriss Street.

She said her duties at Huntington Beach are almost identical to those she would perform at the county level, making for a “seamless” transition.

The county treasurer is responsible for investing public funds, reviewing investment policy, collecting taxes and managing banking responsibilities.

Freidenrich was elected to her position in November 1996.

“I was originally appointed as the [Huntington Beach] treasurer from 21 candidates,” she said, “then elected by the voters five months later, and since have been re-elected three times as treasurer, because of my proven track record of integrity, accountability, but more importantly because I have maintained a spotless record as a guardian of public funds.”

Before moving to the public sector, Freidenrich worked in private-industry finance for 14 years at two Fortune 500 companies.

She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from Washington State University.