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Increasing Transparency and Engagement

As State Treasurer, Dylan will work to provide clarity and understanding for voters who want accountability and change. He will focus on:

  • How our systems of state finance and policy work today

  • How our state budget impacts communities and families

  • New solutions that can move our state forward

1. The State Budget’s Impacts Today

Budgets are statements of our values. That is true for our family, business, and government budgets alike. As a voter, you serve a clear view into what your representatives have decided to prioritize and value. Our state lacks a reliable, accessible view of the state budget for residents. Dylan believes it is the State Treasurer’s job to provide the tools that are needed for budget transparency and accountability.

As State Treasurer, Dylan will work to create and maintain a publicly available digital budget dashboard. This dashboard will use modern technology to help you connect the dots for public finance. It shouldn’t require a master's degree in policy just to understand where our state’s taxes are coming from and how they are spent. Current financial information and resources are written for lawyers and legislative staffers, not for everyday Wisconsinites who are trying to keep the government accountable. Dylan built visual dashboards for Medicaid programs, and he can bring that same clarity to the whole budget. The people of our state deserve an unfiltered look into the way our money flows to our most important services and sectors.

2. Clarity on the Systems That Impact Us Today

Through careful planning and citizen involvement, Wisconsinites can come together to move our economy forward. But right now, our broken funding rules, overlapping levels of government, and outdated laws are getting in the way of that. Our systems in Wisconsin are so confusing that most people don’t even know where to start to make a change. As Treasurer, Dylan will be dedicated to explaining how the current rules impact Wisconsinites.

In today's world, there is a never-ending fire hose of information, takes, and gotcha moments. And in Wisconsin, it always seems like we are in the middle of election season. We need leadership that works to make government and policy accessible and understandable. As Treasurer, Dylan will use his experience in local and state government to keep you “in the know”.

“Treasurer’s Guides to the System”

Under Dylan’s leadership, the Treasurer’s Office will be a trusted source of clear, jargon-free, and reliable information. Our “Guides to the System” will support Wisconsinites in understanding the current laws and systems impacting their money. Dylan believes that a system can only be “for the people” if the people can clearly judge its performance. He will work to strip away the confusion, explain complexity, and shine a light on broken policies so that you can understand what is happening. Knowledge is power, and it is time to empower Wisconsin voters. The people must be in control of their own government, and that starts with understanding it. 

 

Topics will include areas such as: 

 

  • The Equalization Aid Formula for school funding

  • School District Revenue Limits

  • Minimum Wage and Inflation 

  • Property Tax and why they have been increasing 

  • General Purpose Revenue 

  • Childcare and Family Leave Protections

  • Housing Development and Prices

  • Local EMS Funding

  • Payday Loans in Wisconsin

  • The Unclaimed Property Program

  • Board of Commissioners of Public Lands

“Publicly available information must be publicly understandable. I will be a State Treasurer that works so that you and your neighbors can understand what is going on in your community.”

3. An Engine to Move Our State Forward

It is time to revive the State Treasurer’s role in pulling people together to find new ways forward for Wisconsin communities. Our broken systems of governance and funding are holding us back. And too often, big money interests and power brokers are happy to leave the people of Wisconsin behind. We need a State Treasurer who will fight to keep everyday people at the table. Dylan will be a Treasurer who is out in Wisconsin communities far more than stuck at the capitol building.

 

Sarah Godlewski set the gold standard by using the Treasurer’s office to advance common sense reforms for our state and communities. From affordable housing construction to college savings and even retirement stability, Godlewski demonstrated how statewide leadership can tap local expertise and experience to find ideas that can work all across Wisconsin. As Treasurer, Dylan will carry on that mission to always be working to build a better future for working people in Wisconsin. 

A Network for Change

Dylan will work with other statewide and local leaders to establish ongoing task forces that aim to tackle our biggest challenges: healthcare costs, housing affordability, datacenter impacts, educational opportunities, and more. As a local elected official, Dylan will make sure these task forces are led by local experts and community leaders who face these challenges head-on. This network of Wisconsin-based experts and leaders will counter out-of-state influencers and interests. In a world where so many feel drowned out by all of the noise, we need to put the megaphone back into the hands of the people of Wisconsin. 

The Next Generation

Dylan knows the importance of including young, civically minded Wisconsinites in the process. To support the work of the Treasurer’s office, he will bring interns and fellows into the office to gain direct experience in government transparency and accountability. It will be a core focus of the State Treasurer’s office to train the next generation of leaders who will have the skills to make government accessible.

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