The state Legislature, in its infinite wisdom, created an independent Milwaukee County comptroller to be elected by the people. I will give you ten seconds to tell me what a comptroller does —
Pause, pause, pause.
I’m not hearing anything from many of you.
There are a whole host of elected offices that most political experts say don’t make sense. In the City of Milwaukee, the suggestion has been made to go in the opposite direction, to make the office of treasurer and the city comptroller one position and/or make the positions appointed. The same goes for some statewide offices. I could ask you what Wisconsin’s Secretary of State does, but can’t stand anymore silence.
Elected offices should be reserved for policymakers. Basic administrative functions belong in the hands of appointed professionals.
The comptroller is the number cruncher. Will a proposal actually save or cost the amount of money people say it will? Do the audits reflect reality? If we change practices, would cost savings be realized? The conflict between an elective legislative body and a chief administrator over what the real fiscal numbers is real. Until two years ago, the Milwaukee school board had no way of knowing whether the numbers given by the superintendent were fact or fabrication.
Thus the Milwaukee school board created the Office of Accountability. Superintendent Andrekopoulos was enraged declaring such a bifurcated system would hamstring the superintendent. He warned the board that such a system would prevent the board from hiring a top tiered superintendent.
When Gregory Thornton became superintendent, he took the cue from Andrekopoulos that this new office hampered the administration’s ability to function. But the office was there, and Thornton participated in the vetting of Chief Accountability Officer candidates. Together the superintendent and the Board Clerk, Lynne Sobczak settled on Robert DelGhingaro and recommended him to the full board.
DelGhingaro came from private industry and had extensive experience straightening out buyouts and mismanaged divisions. Although Thornton participated in the selection of DelGhingaro, he wanted nothing to do with him, and gave him as little information as possible. DelGhingaro had to fight for every scrap of paper from the administration even though he was entitled to everything.
Then a funny thing happened.
When the administration brought a proposal the board, directors asked a lot of questions of the superintendent the way they always did. But if DelGhingaro gave his approval, it was like the superintendent just received the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.
With fresh eyes, DelGhingaro found ways to rewrite contracts to ensure that the jobs were done correctly at the lowest cost. Now, instead of pushing the Chief Accountability Office away, Superintendent Thornton was embracing him. When the administration gave updates to board members on possible options for insurance reforms, there was Delghingaro teaming up with the administration in the presentation.
The MPS board didn’t need a bill by the state legislature to do any of this. I doubt that board would have gotten anyone from private industry with the experience of DelGhingaro if he had to run for elected office. Such a position is needed, and Milwaukee County would be better off with a comptroller selected by the county executive and county board chair and confirmed by the full board. As in MPS, the comptroller would be independent of the administration.
Nevertheless, Milwaukee County will have to muddle through with the damage inflicted by a state legislature that can’t keep it hands off of the Milwaukee community.
