By David Cullen
It is a privilege to serve as your Milwaukee County Treasurer. I am a lifelong resident of the City of Milwaukee. My wife and I own our home in the Enderis Park neighborhood. I am a proud graduate of John Marshall High School, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Marquette University Law School.
The County Treasurer plays an important role in helping our community thrive. As County Treasurer, I collect delinquent property taxes from the suburban communities in Milwaukee County. The City of Milwaukee Treasurer collects delinquent property taxes from residents in the city. During my tenure as Milwaukee County Treasurer, I have collected more than $90 million in delinquent property taxes. I have used effective methods to make these collections, but have always tried to keep in mind that there can be unexpected reasons why a taxpayer has fallen behind on their property taxes. That is why I have used my experience as an attorney to negotiate more than 500 payment plans with delinquent taxpayers. These payment plans serve the dual purpose of allowing people to stay in their homes, while also collecting the taxes that are owed.
Another important responsibility I have is to invest the money Milwaukee County has on hand. Our office is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money. I work with investment advisors who are experts in government investing to achieve the maximum rate of return for Milwaukee County taxpayers. In 2023 I earned $27 million in investment income for Milwaukee County. This money goes right to the county’s bottom line to be used by the County Executive and County Board to fund priorities such as transit, public safety, mental health services, and county parks.
I am especially proud to be the first Treasurer in history to invest significant resources in a Black-owned bank, Columbia Savings & Loan. I authorized a $250,000 investment to help Columbia Savings & Loan increase home ownership in Milwaukee’s underserved neighborhoods. I am hopeful that my leadership on this issue will encourage other governmental leaders from the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin to make similar investments in our community.
I have spent my career working with others to address the needs of our community. I am proud to have the support of countless leaders throughout Milwaukee County
including:
Congresswoman Gwen Moore
City of Milwaukee Treasurer Spencer Coggs
Milwaukee County Register of Deeds Israel Ramón
Former Milwaukee County Treasurer Dorothy Dean
State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde
State Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez
Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson
Milwaukee Alderwoman Sharlen Moore
And many others.
I hope to earn your vote on August 13th.
