Voters across Indiana, including residents of Terre Haute and the wider Wabash Valley, will decide who manages the state's $26 billion in annual general fund revenues as three candidates compete for the comptroller position this election season. The comptroller's office, formerly known as the state auditor, plays a crucial role in accounting, disbursing, and reporting how these state tax dollars are spent, impacting state employees, local governments, and agencies.
Incumbent Republican Elise Nieshalla is seeking re-election against Democratic nominee Jessica Bailey and Libertarian John Schick. Former Governor Eric Holcomb appointed Nieshalla to the position in 2023. The comptroller's responsibilities extend to compiling an annual financial report for lawmakers and governors, paying the state’s 30,000 employees, and disbursing funds to state agencies and local governments. The office also administers Indiana’s deferred compensation fund and manages the state’s transparency portal, which aims to inform Hoosiers about state spending. The comptroller is also a member of the three-member State Board of Finance, which supervises state funds and authorizes certain financial transfers without legislative approval.
Nieshalla describes her ascent to the position as a natural progression from her previous roles as president of the Boone County Council and the Indiana County Councils Association. She spent two decades in economic development and real estate acquisition for the Indiana Department of Commerce, now known as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. She emphasizes keeping Indiana "fiscally strong, disciplined, responsible and transparent."
Nieshalla is proud of Indiana’s transparency portal, an online database covering state assets, contracts, employees, finances, local governments, and vendors. In May, Nieshalla launched a new dashboard specifically for federal expenditures in Indiana. She noted that federal funding surged during the coronavirus pandemic, reaching $26 billion at its peak, and has remained elevated. This surge, she stated, made those dollars vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse, necessitating "the brightest sunlight" on them.
Nieshalla, along with state Treasurer Daniel Elliott, formed a coalition of 37 state financial officers. This group lobbies lawmakers to address the $40 trillion national debt, advocating for Indiana’s balanced budget amendment as a model for federal government action. Nieshalla worked with Hoosier lawmakers as chair of the National Debt Crisis Task Force for the State Financial Officers Foundation on a resolution requesting federal government action, aiming to build a movement from the states for reforms of social programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Nieshalla stated, "We do our due diligence to make sure we understand the request...".
Democratic nominee Jessica Bailey is finishing her second term as clerk of courts for Porter County, a role in which she manages marriage licenses, traffic and criminal records, and oversees county elections. She also served six years on the Porter Township school board. Bailey said the apolitical nature of the comptroller’s office attracted her, and she was inspired to improve the accessibility of Indiana’s transparency portal for average Hoosiers. As clerk of courts, Bailey initiated a mobile voting center for Porter County residents whose community polling centers had closed, aiming to make early voting more convenient. She believes applying "out-of-the-box thinking" to the comptroller’s office could make information functions, such as the transparency portal, easier and more accurate.
Bailey and Schick both expressed interest in making the portal more user-friendly. Bailey highlighted practical solutions for site glitches, such as correcting case-sensitive searches to function more like Google, generating suggested names and search terms. She also suggested adding information about prevailing wage and minimum standards for state contractors. Bailey noted that the portal is "a very good tool."
Regarding the State Board of Finance, Bailey would like to see more public discussion. She noted that county officials must explain budget transfers to their county councils, and she believes the State Board of Finance should similarly engage in public dialogue about state funds. She questioned how taxpayers can know what is happening with their money if there is no public discussion. Nieshalla, addressing concerns about the State Board of Finance, said board members review information in advance to "make sure it’s on the up and up." She explained that many requests are routine, while others receive additional scrutiny.
Libertarian candidate John Schick, a Northwest Indiana management consultant, is on his fourth campaign for comptroller. He joined the Libertarian Party in 2002 and has served as secretary for the state central committee and now as district leader for Congressional District 1. Schick views his status as a political outsider as an asset for the office, suggesting an independent comptroller would make it clear that the office operates independently of the governor and legislature. Schick stated that the portal is "not very transparent." He criticized the portal, noting that a search of state expenditures in Porter County shows that "60% of all spending goes into a single account," without describing how that money is spent. If elected, Schick said he would "completely" rework the site and issue regular press releases about how state monies are spent on current issues like Flock cameras, stating public money "should not be hidden behind a wall of opacity."
While all candidates find the national debt concerning, Bailey and Schick prefer to concentrate on state issues where they believe they can have a greater impact.
