Wiscosnin Secretary of State Doug La Follettte says budget cuts to his office are unconstitutional because they prevent him from fulfilling his duty to provide public access to state records.
La Follette is suing Gov. Scott Walker and the secretary of the Department of Administration demanding the state budget be amended to restore funds for staff and office space that were eliminated when the governor signed the budget last week.
La Follette said the 47 percent cut to his budget has already affected his ability to process and store documents.
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“I only have one staff person left,” he said. “We’re already three or four days behind and people who want these documents are paying for them and they’re not going to be able to receive the services that we’ve been providing when we had three people doing it.”
The suit filed in Dane County claims the budget violates the separation of powers doctrine by infringing on the duties of the Secretary of State.
Attorney General Brad Schimel will defend the governor in the suit and has 45 days to respond to the allegations.
Meanwhile, La Follette is moving his office from a 4,000-square foot space to one that is only 900 square feet. There have been repeated efforts over the past several years to reduce the scope of the Secretary of State’s duties. Recently, some of the notary duties and the registration of businesses and nonprofits were shifted to the Department of Financial Institutions.
Two years ago, Republican legislators tried to win support for a constitutional amendment that would have eliminated the office all together. La Follette has held the office for 36 years.
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