Eliminating 2 constitutional offices considered
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Can Wisconsin get by without a lieutenant governor or secretary of state?
That's the question a state Senate committee will consider Wednesday.
Republican state Sen. Alan Lasee of DePere has proposed eliminating both offices as a cost-saving move. Both of the current office holders are Democrats.
The lieutenant governor serves as "acting governor" when the governor is out of state and is next in line should the governor be unable to serve. The secretary of state maintains the official acts of the Legislature and governor and affixes the state seal to all official acts of the governor.
Both the state Assembly and Senate, which are controlled by Democrats, would have to approve the constitutional amendments twice. Voters also would have to approve them.
Sep 30, 2009 at 12:17 p.m.
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Getting rid of Sec. of State seems like a no-brainer.
Sep 30, 2009 at 12:02 p.m.
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Some states and territories do not have lieutenant governors. Instead, the Secretary of State, Attorney General or Senate President of that state are next in line for the Governorship.
Sep 30, 2009 at 11:22 a.m.
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The gov. would have to stay in the state & that meam's we would save even more money
Sep 30, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.
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Lets all ask ourselves ... w.w.h.d. ?
( What would Hanna do )
Sep 30, 2009 at 10:22 a.m.
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Just a question. What could possibly happen if we shut down EVERY non-essential office in the state for a year? At the very least we would see how worthless most of them are. I can see them now scrambling around trying to justify how "essential" their own jobs are!
Sep 30, 2009 at 9:29 a.m.
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The Secretary of State used to have real constitutional importance, but has been stripped of responsibilities (that went to e.g. the Board of Elections) and no longer needs electoral independence. The rationale behind Lt. Gov. is trickier, because you don't want someone to succeed to the office who hasn't been elected, and who do you give the succession to otherwise? New Jersey used to not have the office but after several interim stints as Acting Governor by the President of the State Senate they restored the office.
Sep 30, 2009 at 9:02 a.m.
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The way this country is going why stop at two offices.
Sep 30, 2009 at 8:34 a.m.
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Okay, cuthbert, we're cutting off your caffeine.
Sep 30, 2009 at 6:57 a.m.
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I can see elimenating the Sect. of State sounds like something the Lt Governor can do. I also feel that elimenating the Township boards and replacing them with one elected person from each township to sit on the County Board would save a lot of money, this would elimenate Township Zoning and Planning boards and any other board that the township has and is paid to do the job.
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