AB 329

This bill renames the office of treasurer in any county with a population of at

least 750,000 (presently only Milwaukee County) comptroller, and creates the

elective office of comptroller in any such county. The comptroller is to be chosen every

four years in the general election, beginning in 2012. An individual must be a

licensed or certified public accountant, or must have a master's degree or doctorate

degree in accounting or finance, to hold the office of comptroller. Upon the election

and qualification of the comptroller, the duties and responsibilities of the Milwaukee

County treasurer are transferred to the comptroller. The comptroller is also given

additional duties and responsibilities under the bill. The term of the current elective

treasurer runs until approximately January 2013. The current comptroller, who is

not elected, may continue as a county employee in the office of the elected comptroller

under his or her current terms of employment. To the extent that he or she is not

covered by a civil service ordinance, any employee in the current office of comptroller

may continue in office subject to the approval of the elected comptroller.

Under the bill, the comptroller is the chief financial officer of the county, the

administrator of the county's financial affairs, and the person who oversees all of the

county's debt. The comptroller is required to provide the county board and executive

with a fiscal note for all proposed legislation and to report, on a regular basis, on the

condition of the county's funds, and claims that are payable. He or she must also

prepare and distribute an annual certified statement about the receipts and

disbursements from each county fund in the preceding fiscal year. Also on an annual

basis, the comptroller must prepare and distribute to the board and the executive a

five-year financial condition forecast for the county.

The comptroller is required to perform all audit functions related to county

government and, upon request, provide the board or executive with a fiscal analysis

on any matter affecting the county. Generally under the bill, the comptroller is

required to countersign all contracts with the county, and no contract is valid until

it is countersigned.