- Yee Leng Xiong: My name is Yee Leng Xiong, and I'm running to be your Wisconsin state treasurer.

I've spent my entire life serving this great state, the state that I love, as a member of the DC Everest School Board, as a member of the Marathon County Board of Supervisor, as a member of the Village of Weston Board of Trustees, and as a nonprofit leader.

In every role, I've learned that public dollars must be managed openly, carefully, and for the people they're meant to serve.

Most people aren't sure what the state treasurer does, and that's one of the reasons why this office matters.

In 2018, Wisconsin voters chose to keep this office.

They want an independent voice looking out for their interests and asking questions about how public dollars is being managed.

The treasurer helps oversee the Common School Funds that support public education, and the trust fund loan program that helps communities invest in their local projects and their infrastructure.

The office also has a role in returning unclaimed money to its rightful owners.

This work may happen out of sight, but its impact is felt across the state of Wisconsin.

I know what it means to be accountable for every dollar.

I was born in Wausau to Hmong refugee parents who fled persecution in southeast Asia.

On their journey to America and then to safety, my family lost my aunt and my brother.

My parents worked factory jobs, and my dad eventually joined a local union.

We lived paycheck to paycheck and learned to stretch what we had.

That upbringing taught me to give back.

I began my career with local nonprofits, delivering food, supporting our seniors and individuals with disabilities, helping survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, and connecting immigrant and refugee families with healthcare and other resources.

I saw how much dependable services matters when a family is trying to get by.

That work led me to public service.

In 2014, I became the first Hmong American elected official to the DC Everest School Board.

Today, I serve as its treasurer.

I've seen how funding decisions reach classrooms, shaping the books, technology, and support our students need.

As a Marathon County supervisor, I've served on the finance committees, chaired the social services board, and helped overseeing transportation funding for our seniors and neighbors with disabilities.

Those responsibilities calls for careful choices that respects both taxpayers and people who relies on services.

As a Village of Weston Board of Trustee, I pushed for transparent meetings and accountable spending.

I've seen what that same stewardship can accomplish outside of government.

When I became the executive director of a small nonprofit organization in central Wisconsin, it was at risk of closing.

We helped grow its budget in that organization to a budget of $1.9 million and expanded services for families across the region.

I want to bring that experience to the treasurer's office.

I'll focus on protecting Wisconsin's school trust funds and support transparent decisions that will benefit public education.

I'll work to ensure the trust fund loan program will invest in communities of every size, from rural towns to growing cities.

I'll also be a watchdog for taxpayers.

When the numbers don't add up, Wisconsinites deserve someone willing to ask questions and speak plainly.

And when the state holds unclaimed monies that belongs to Wisconsinites, I want to help more people learn about it and return that money back to them.

Financial security matters at home too.

As a member of the governor's financial literacy council, I've worked to help families build the knowledge to save, build credit, and plan ahead.

I'll bring that commitment to this office and work with communities across the state to address the affordability challenges and crisis that families face.

I'm running because I believe that this office can do more for you.

Together, we can bring transparency to this job, protect the resources we share, and make money work for Wisconsin families.

Vote for Yee Leng Xiong on November 3.

[percussive music]