State Treasurer of Wisconsin explained

Post:State Treasurer
Body:Wisconsin
Insignia:Seal of the Wisconsin State Treasurer.png
Insigniasize:110px
Insigniacaption:Seal of the Office of the State Treasurer
Incumbent:John Leiber
Incumbentsince:January 3, 2023
Seat:Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
Member Of:Board of Commissioners of Public Lands
Appointer:General election
Termlength:Four years, no term limits
Inaugural:Jairus C. Fairchild
Salary:$72,551[1]
Constituting Instrument:Wisconsin Constitution of 1848, Article VI
Website:Official page

The state treasurer of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.[2] Thirty-six individuals have held the office since statehood. The incumbent is John Leiber, a Republican.

Election and term of office

The state treasurer is elected on Election Day in November, and takes office on the first Monday of the next January.[3] There is no limit to the number of terms a state treasurer may hold. From 1848 to 1968, the state treasurer was elected to a two-year term in the November general election. Since 1970, following ratification of a constitutional amendment in April 1967, the state treasurer has been elected to a four-year term.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of the state treasurer, the governor may appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of the term. The state treasurer may be removed from office through an impeachment trial.[4]

Powers and duties

In Wisconsin, the state treasurer is the chief banker of state government, signing checks, share drafts, and other drafts drawn on state funds by the Department of Administration; this role extends to the State Investment Fund and the Public Employee Trust Fund, which are managed by independent state agencies.[5] [6] [7] The state treasurer also makes certified copies of deeds, bonds, and other documents filed with his or her office and promotes Wisconsin's unclaimed property program.[8] [9] Furthermore, the state treasurer assists in the administration of the County Mining Investment Fund and receives and deposits payments for certain Great Lakes fisheries-related surcharges into the Conservation Fund.[10] [11] [12] [13] Occasional functions performed by the state treasurer include approving the amounts and sureties filed with the Department of Administration in connection to the Department of Revenue's receipt of paid income and franchise taxes, receiving payments from the Banking Division in connection with liquidation proceedings of banks, acknowledging the satisfaction and discharge of certain mortgages involving the state, and conducting training conferences for municipal clerks and treasurers.[14] [15] [16]

Aside from the office's functional responsibilities, the state treasurer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Security Fund and of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands.[17] [18]

Reduction of powers and office dissolution attempts

Since the 1990s, most duties vested in the state treasurer's office have gradually been eliminated or transferred to other state agencies. 1995 Wisconsin Act 27 eliminated the office's securities section, which had the responsibility of safekeeping securities purchased by the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.[19] 1997 Wisconsin Act 27 transferred the Division of Trust Lands and Investment, which altogether comprises the staff of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, to the Wisconsin Department of Administration.[20] Most notably, 2003 Wisconsin Act 33 transferred the cash and debt management functions of the state treasurer's office to the Department of Administration.[21] Moreover, 2011 Wisconsin Act 32 transferred the state's version of a 529 plan, known as EdVest, to the Department of Administration. The same act also transferred the Local Government Investment Pool and corresponding management services functions to the Department of Administration.[22] Later, 2013 Wisconsin Act 20 transferred the state treasurer's Unclaimed Property Program to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.[23] As a result of these interagency transfers, the office of State Treasurer in Wisconsin is institutionally the weakest directly elected member of the National Association of State Treasurers, according to state-by-state analyses published by the Council of State Governments, and the only state treasurer nationwide not responsible for cash management.[24]

On October 27, 2015, the Wisconsin State Assembly approved an amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution to abolish the state treasurer's office, Assembly Joint Resolution 5 (AJR 5), with 63 "yea" votes and 33 "nay" votes. The Wisconsin State Senate approved AJR 5 on January 20, 2016. The first approval of the amendment was enrolled on March 15, 2016. Because this measure was approved by both chambers of the Wisconsin State Legislature, the Wisconsin Elimination of State Treasurer Amendment was placed on the 2018 spring general election ballot on April 3, 2018.[25] The referendum was defeated, with 62% of voters statewide choosing to retain the office with a "no" vote against amending the constitution to eliminate the office.[26]

List of state treasurers

Number of state treasurers of Wisconsin by party affiliation!Party!Treasurers
Republican23
Democratic9
Progressive1
None1

This is a list of state treasurers of Wisconsin.

ImageState TreasurerPartyTook officeLeft office[27]
1Jairus C. FairchildDemocraticJune 7, 1848[28] January 5, 1852
2Edward H. JanssenDemocraticJanuary 5, 1852January 7, 1856
3Charles KuehnDemocraticJanuary 7, 1856January 4, 1858
4Samuel D. HastingsRepublicanJanuary 4, 1858January 1, 1866
5William E. SmithRepublicanJanuary 1, 1866January 3, 1870
6Henry BaetzRepublicanJanuary 3, 1870January 5, 1874
7Ferdinand KuehnDemocraticJanuary 5, 1874January 7, 1878
8Richard GuentherRepublicanJanuary 7, 1878January 2, 1882
9Edward C. McFetridgeRepublicanJanuary 2, 1882January 3, 1887
10Henry B. HarshawRepublicanJanuary 3, 1887January 5, 1891
11John HunnerDemocraticJanuary 5, 1891January 7, 1895
12Sewell A. PetersonRepublicanJanuary 7, 1895January 2, 1899
13James O. DavidsonRepublicanJanuary 2, 1899January 5, 1903
14John J. Kempf[29] RepublicanJanuary 5, 1903July 30, 1904[30]
15Thomas M. Purtell[31] RepublicanJuly 30, 1904January 2, 1905
16John J. KempfRepublicanJanuary 2, 1905January 7, 1907
17Andrew H. DahlRepublicanJanuary 7, 1907January 6, 1913
18Henry JohnsonRepublicanJanuary 6, 1913January 1, 1923
19Solomon LevitanRepublicanJanuary 1, 1923January 2, 1933
20Robert K. HenryDemocraticJanuary 2, 1933[32] January 4, 1937
21Solomon LevitanProgressiveJanuary 4, 1937[33] January 2, 1939
22John M. Smith[34] RepublicanJanuary 2, 1939[35] August 17, 1947
vacantAugust 17, 1947August 19, 1947
23John L. Sonderegger[36] RepublicanAugust 19, 1947September 30, 1948
vacantSeptember 30, 1948October 1, 1948
24Clyde M. Johnston[37] noneOctober 1, 1948January 3, 1949
25Warren R. SmithRepublicanJanuary 3, 1949[38] December 4, 1957
vacantDecember 4, 1957December 5, 1957
26Dena A. SmithRepublicanDecember 5, 1957January 5, 1959
27Eugene M. LambDemocraticJanuary 5, 1959[39] January 2, 1961
28Dena A. SmithRepublicanJanuary 2, 1961[40] February 20, 1968
vacantFebruary 20, 1968February 21, 1968
29Harold W. ClemensRepublicanFebruary 21, 1968January 4, 1971
30Charles P. SmithDemocraticJanuary 4, 1971[41] January 7, 1991
31Cathy ZeuskeRepublicanJanuary 7, 1991[42] January 3, 1995
32Jack VoightRepublicanJanuary 3, 1995[43] January 3, 2007
33Dawn Marie SassDemocraticJanuary 3, 2007[44] January 3, 2011
34Kurt W. SchullerRepublicanJanuary 3, 2011January 5, 2015
35Matt AdamczykRepublicanJanuary 5, 2015January 7, 2019
36Sarah GodlewskiDemocraticJanuary 7, 2019January 2, 2023
37John LeiberRepublicanJanuary 3, 2023Incumbent

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Salaries of Wisconsin State Elected Officials . Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . April 3, 2020 . 2019 . 2 .
  2. Web site: Article VI, Section 3, Wisconsin Constitution. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. September 27, 2022.
  3. Book: Barish . Lawrence S. . State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007 - 2008 . 2007 . PDF . 2008-05-10 . Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . Madison, Wisconsin . 978-0-9752820-2-1 . Chapter 3: Wisconsin Constitution (Article XIII) . http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/bb/07bb/constitution.htm . 234 .
  4. Book: Barish. Lawrence S.. State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007 - 2008. 2007. PDF. 2008-05-10. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. Madison, Wisconsin . 978-0-9752820-2-1. Chapter 3: Wisconsin Constitution (Article VII). http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/bb/07bb/constitution.htm . 218 .
  5. Web site: 14.58 (1), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  6. Web site: 25.19 (1), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  7. Web site: 40.03 (4), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  8. Web site: 14.58 (11), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  9. Web site: 14.58 (4), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  10. Web site: 25.65, Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  11. Web site: 29.984 (1) (f), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  12. Web site: 29.9905 (1) (d), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  13. Web site: 29.991 (1) (c), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  14. Web site: 708.07, Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  15. Web site: 71.80 (1) (e), Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  16. Web site: 221.0802, Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  17. Web site: 646.12 (1) (a) 1., Wis. Stats.. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. April 21, 2022.
  18. Web site: Homepage. Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. April 21, 2022.
  19. Web site: 1995 Wisconsin Act 27. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. July 6, 2021.
  20. Web site: 1997 Wisconsin Act 27. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. July 6, 2021.
  21. Web site: 2003 Wisconsin Act 33. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. July 6, 2021.
  22. Web site: 2011 Wisconsin Act 32. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. July 6, 2021.
  23. Web site: 2013 Wisconsin Act 20. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. July 6, 2021.
  24. Web site: Responsibilities of the Treasurer's Office. The Council of State Governments. July 25, 2024.
  25. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, "2015 Enrolled Joint Resolution 7: Constitutional Amendment Approved on First Consideration to Eliminate the Office of the State Treasurer," June 2016
  26. News: Wisconsin voters choose to keep state treasurer's office. 4 April 2018. Wisconsin State Journal. 5 April 2018.
  27. When there is no evidence to the contrary, it is assumed that state treasurers left office the same day their successors were sworn in.
  28. Book: Anderson, William J. . William A. Anderson . The Wisconsin blue book, 1929 . 1929 . 2008-06-10 . Democrat Printing Company . Madison, Wisconsin . 148.
  29. Failed to give the required bond.
  30. Book: Barish . Lawrence S. . State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007 - 2008 . PDF . 2007 . Madison, Wisconsin . Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . Chapter 8: Statistical Information on Wisconsin . http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/bb/07bb/statistics.htm . 722 - 723 . 978-0-9752820-2-1 . 2008-06-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110811080930/http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/bb/07bb/ . 2011-08-11 .
  31. Appointed to fill vacancy.
  32. News: SCHMEDEMAN IS MADE GOVERNOR . Ironwood Daily Globe . January 2, 1933 . PDF . . 1 . 2008-08-24.
  33. News: New Administrations Started . Oshkosh Daily Northwestern . January 4, 1937 . PDF . . 6 . 2008-08-24.
  34. Died in office.
  35. News: Gov. Julius P. Heil Takes Office . The Sheboygan Press . January 2, 1939 . PDF . . 1 . 2008-08-24.
  36. Resigned to become state insurance commissioner.
  37. Appointed from staff.
  38. News: Rennebohm Inaugurated for Own Term as Governor . Waukesha Daily Freeman . January 3, 1949 . PDF . . 2 . 2008-08-24.
  39. News: Gaylord Nelson Becomes State's 34th Governor . Stevens Point Daily Journal . January 5, 1959 . PDF . . 1 . 2008-08-24.
  40. News: State Officers Inaugurated . Wisconsin State Journal . January 3, 1961 . PDF . . 2 . 2008-08-24.
  41. News: Lucey Hopes to Bridge Troubled State Waters . Wisconsin State Journal . January 5, 1971 . PDF . Madison, Wisconsin . 1 - 2 . 2008-08-24.
  42. News: Thompson takes oath, praises school choice . Ironwood Daily Globe . January 8, 1991 . PDF . Ironwood, Michigan . 7 . 2010-04-21.
  43. News: TWO CAPITOLS FEEL CHANGE IN THE AIR . St. Paul Pioneer Press . January 4, 1995 . St. Paul, Minnesota . 1A . 2010-04-21.
  44. News: At inauguration, Doyle keeps focus on health care, schools; Legislative leaders make bipartisan pledges after Capitol ceremonies . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . January 4, 2007 . Milwaukee, Wisconsin . B1 . .