Three current or former Arizona lawmakers, a former presidential adviser and a business executive are among the candidates in Tuesday's primary election for state treasurer.

State treasurer isn’t the political plum that other executive offices have been for ambitious politicians, but some of this year’s candidates are raising and spending money like the office is the first step toward the Ninth Floor, Congress and beyond.

Rallies for and against Proposition 100 set up at the Capitol on Friday, chanting at each other across the mall and showing their support for the cameras.

The Legislature passed 13 of the measures aimed at solving the state’s deficit in fiscal years 2010 and 2011, but Senate Republican leaders failed to muster the votes for the two remaining measures that would save the state about $350 million.

Sen. Thayer Verschoor, a Republican from Gilbert, is an official candidate for Arizona state treasurer. Verschoor's Feb. 14 announcement did not come as a surprise. He told the Arizona Capitol Times last year about his plans to run for the Treasurer's Office.

Based on unofficial estimates, the state missed out on more than $100 million in tax collections last year because the Legislature's cutbacks forced the Arizona Department of Revenue to lay off hundreds of employees, including auditors and tax collectors.

The end appears near for speed cameras on Arizona highways. The biggest question is which method will be used to get rid of them. So far, lawmakers have introduced three measures to repeal the statutes that allow the photo-enforcement system. Another bill doesn't exactly repeal photo enforcement, but it would render the system useless.

Senate President Bob Burns has sent a message to Senate Republicans: Fall in line or get out of the way.

Much of the uncertainty surrounding the race to become the next state treasurer hinges on whether Dean Martin will challenge Gov. Jan Brewer for her office or continue serving as the fourth-ranking state executive. Even if Martin has decided to run against Brewer, he can't announce it anyway. If he does before January, he would have to resign as treasurer.

Sen. Jim Waring told our reporter this afternoon he might be deciding whether to open an exploratory committee for state treasurer in the next week or so. Waring said people have told him they would support him if he runs for the office. "Realistically, do I think I could win? Yep. Do I think I am qualified? I do. But I am not sure it's 100% something I want to do," he said.