Preserved Treasurer office now needs responsibilities

The people of Wisconsin have spoken, and it is clear they consider it important that the state retain the office of State Treasurer. Voters overwhelmingly, by a 61 to 39% margin, rejected a referendum that called for eliminating the office of the Wisconsin State Treasurer. Those who called for getting rid of the office which has been part of Wisconsin government since before the state was even formed argue there is no reason to keep the office since it has no real duties remaining. In recent years lawmakers have stripped the Treasurer of most responsibilities as part of a political power play. But since voters want to keep the office, it seems the office should at least have something to do. When Governor Walker first took office, the State Treasurer oversaw billions of dollars in public funding. Since then, those duties have been shifted to the Department of Administration, part of the Governor’s executive branch. But it is not good government, or good business practice, to have so many powers concentrated in the hands of so few, especially since they are non-elected positions. Under the current system, that same agency is collecting the money, depositing the money, spending the money, and doing all the accounting. Let’s bring some of those duties back to the Treasurer’s office, and restore some much-needed checks and balances in Wisconsin state government.