State Treasurer wants own job eliminated

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Wisconsin State Treasurer Matt Adamczyc wants state voters to get rid of his job at the polls Tuesday.

"The reality is the office has pretty much been gutted and there's nothing left," Adamczyc said.

The position used to manage state finances, but now leaders look to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau to find how much policy costs. The unclaimed property division was recently transferred over to the Department of Revenue.

The only remaining role of the treasurer is sitting on a board that gives trust fund money to public school libraries and government projects. Adamczyk wants to give that role to the lieutenant governor.

"When I came into the office, I sat down and said, I have three employees in this office," Adamczyc said. "A deputy, a communications director, and a secretary. And nothing against those people that were in there, but there just wasn't enough work for them to do."

So he got rid of those jobs

Former State Treasurer Jack Voight says gradually stripping the job of power was a bad move that gave too much authority to the governor.

"There are checks and balances in place here," Voight said. "And I really believe that the next treasurer will have a much better agenda, and to be the voice."

He says the answer is to give the position power back, and let it be a check on the governor from someone who wants to be a voice for the people. He also says it should remain in charge of giving the trust money away, which is more than $1 billion.

Voight and Adamczyk have very different messages for voters.

"I just hope the voters will say no to this power grab by the governor, and the state assembly, and the state senate," Voight said.

"I hope people vote tomorrow on April 3, to vote yes to eliminate this office," Adamczyc said.

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