The Assembly Committee on State Affairs held a public
hearing last Thursday morning on
Assembly Joint
Resolution 48, which would eliminate the positions of Secretary of State
and State Treasurer. AJR 48 would amend the state’s constitution to delete the
two positions and replace them on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands,
which administers the Common School Fund, with the Superintendent of Public
Instruction and the Lieutenant Governor.
Kathy Sanders of WEMTA and Paul Nelson of WLA both testified
against the proposal due to its possible impact on the Common School Fund.
Representative Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) and Senator Rick
Gudex (R-Fond du Lac), the resolution’s authors, testified that AJR-48 would
save taxpayers money by eliminating positions that have very little to do. They
said their goal in introducing the legislation is to streamline and modernize
state government.
Representatives Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton), Katrina
Shankland (D-Stevens Point) and Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander) raised concerns
about the Resolution’s effect on the Common School Fund and Board of
Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL).
Swearingen said that if the Resolution damages the BCPL in any way, he cannot support the
bill until those issues are fixed. Bernard Schaber raised concerns that the State
Superintendent of Public Instruction would have a conflict of interest in
serving on the Board due to his role in school funding.
Schraa argued that the Board is not being threatened by the
Resolution since all it does is change its membership. He also asserted that
the State Superintendent would be a good addition to the Board because the
position would have the best knowledge of education funding.
Current State Treasurer Kurt Schuller and Secretary of State Doug La Follette were not in attendance, but did provide written statements to the Committee. You can view their remarks
here and
here.
Schuller, who previously advocated for the deletion of the two offices, has not taken a formal position on AJR-48. However, Deputy State Treasurer Scott Feldt
published an op-ed in Municipal
Finance Today advocating for the retention of the State Treasurer position.
"I make no apologies for what I attempted however, I see now it was an effort fated to fail," wrote Schuller of his efforts to delete his position in his statement to the Committee. "I do believe this office can continue to play an important financial role in Wisconsin’s government with the support of the Governor, legislature and voting public."
Mark Hazelbaker, formerly of the Wisconsin Counties
Association, testified in favor of the proposal but cautioned that the roles on
the BCPL should not be transferred lightly since management of the Common
School Fund is very important. He proposed creating one commissioner to
administer BCPL trust funds and limiting the term to 10 years.
Also Testifying against: Roger Luce of the Oneida County Economic
Development Corporation. Jaime Aulik of the Wisconsin County Clerk Association. Jack Voight, former state treasurer.
Testifying in Favor: Ron Bishop, current candidate for
Secretary of State. Jay Schroeder, private citizen.
