MILWAUKEE -- The most talked about item on our April 3 ballot may be whether to keep or eliminate the Office of State Treasurer.
Wisconsin State Treasurer Matt Adamczyk eliminated two other positions left in his office already.
There are no hurt feelings over this referendum from the view of our current state treasurer. In fact, Adamczyk wrote on his government website, "I vowed to eliminate this office and I will work with the legislature to pass legislation to eliminate the treasurer's office."
Representative David Bowen called this a "mockery of our democracy," adding, "With Scott Walker's decision of keeping a person in this position that will not actually live out its duties."
"Most people couldn't tell you what the treasurer does and that's a good sign it's probably time to see it eliminated," said Governor Scott Walker, (R) Wisconsin.
The treasurer's office used to be in charge of managing the state's unclaimed property refunds, our TODAY'S TMJ4 I-Team discovered that program was turned over to the Department of Revenue just before Adamczyk was sworn in. The treasurer was also in charge of managing Wisconsin's college savings program, the Department of Administration took over that years ago.
Adamczyk told our I-Team in 2016, his only constitutional responsibility is to serve on the board of commissioners of public land. That requires him to be on a conference call twice a month for 15 minutes. He added, "The office by definition is a joke, that's why I want to get rid of it."
The position pays about $68,000 per year, not including benefits.
