Wisconsin treasurer axes staff, wants to eliminate office

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin's new treasurer has gotten rid of his staff and said he'll donate part of his salary as state Republicans continue their push to eliminate the office.

The Wisconsin State Journal (http://bit.ly/1CSs5gw ) reports Treasurer Matt Adamczyk, a Republican, eliminated his three-member staff, amounting to a savings of about $168,000. The deputy treasurer, Scott Feldt, resigned, while the other two were laid off.

Adamczyk also said he will give 25 percent of his nearly $69,000 salary to the treasury.

Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature introduced a bill last week to take any references to the Office of State Treasurer out of the state constitution. Adamczyk supports the bill, saying the office's only duty is to promote Wisconsin's unclaimed property program.

Adamczyk campaigned on getting rid of the treasurer position. He said he visits his Madison office about twice a week.

"I'm not somebody who says we don't need government," said Adamczyk, who served as a legislative aide for 10 years. ""But why would you have positions for people who don't have any real work?"

Adamczyk, as treasurer, also serves on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. He recently advocated that the board end its subscription to The New York Times and remove references to global warming from the board website.

Management of the unclaimed property program was taken away from the treasurer's office under the previous treasurer, Republican Kurt Schuller, as was administration of the state's college savings program. Schuller had also said he would work to eliminate the office, but later advocated for restoration of its duties.

___

Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj