FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Rep. Michael Schraa – Office: (608) 267-7990 or [email protected]
February 11, 2014
Assembly passes elimination of state treasurer
(Madison, WI) – The Wisconsin Assembly approved today a proposal to eliminate the position of the
state treasurer. The constitutional amendment was authored by Rep. Michael Schraa, and now moves
to the State Senate for approval.
“The position of State Treasurer is now just a symbolic and ceremonial position with no power and
virtually no responsibilities,” said Schraa on the floor of the Assembly.
According to the Legislative Reference Bureau, the legislature’s nonpartisan legal analysts, the only duty
assigned to the state treasurer currently is serving as a member of the three-person Board of
Commissioners of Public Lands. Schraa’s proposal replaces the treasurer with the lieutenant governor
on the Board, joining current members Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and Secretary of State Doug La
Follette.
“The current Treasurer campaigned on eliminating this office, and has stated that his only duty
requires two 15-minute phone calls per month,” said Schraa. “With an office budget of over $500,000
per year and a salary of over $68,000, I’m extremely glad the Assembly is moving forward on
eliminating this outdated position.”
Amendments to Wisconsin’s constitution must be passed by both houses of the legislature in two
successive sessions and then approved by the voters at referendum.
Rep. Schraa lives in the Town of Algoma near Oshkosh. He serves the 53rd Assembly District, which is
comprised of 17 villages and towns and three cities. The northern area covers the Town of Oshkosh and
several wards in the City of Oshkosh, west from the Town of Algoma to Omro and south covering the
City of Waupun and the Village of North Fond du Lac.
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