Post Messenger Recorder -

Dear Editor,

Please vote NO on April 3 to eliminate the Office of the State Treasurer. This previously important elected constitutional office has been downgraded by successive Republican and Democratic governors seeking to consolidate control of state government within their own office.  As a result, the State Treasurer’s Office has drawn candidates who arguably do not have relevant financial and management expertise.  However, these are not arguments for eliminating this important statewide elective office. 

Rather, as intended by the authors of our State Constitution, this important statewide elected office should be continued and reformed so that the state’s treasury services are conducted separate from other executive functions of the state.  This would, in turn, create an important financial check and balance on the extensive executive powers of the governor.  This is done in other states through elected state treasurers or comptrollers and would benefit Wisconsin taxpayers as well.  For example, the Legislature and taxpayers of Wisconsin would likely have benefitted by an independent state treasurer’s analysis of whether the $3.1 Billion in subsidies for Foxconn would likely provide a strong future return for state taxpayers. 

Confidence in government is not gained by reducing the ability of citizens to make their voices heard through their vote, nor by the Wisconsin Legislature or governor placing such a heavy hand on the electoral scale by eliminating independent elected statewide offices that were created by the State Constitution.  Please vote NO to eliminating the Office of State Treasurer on April 3.

Sincerely,

Bill Oemichen,

Town of New Glarus