Comptroller Candidates

Aycha Sawa and Jason Fields.

Milwaukeeans voting in the April 7th Spring Election will find a wide variety of races and referendums on their ballots. While we would normally preview all of the races in one article, the ballot will be a long one and we are breaking our preview into multiple parts. Because a record number of voters will be voting absentee, we are publishing our previews earlier than usual. Absentee ballots must be received by April 13th (using one of the five city drop-off sites is recommended). See links to additional previews and election coverage at the end of this article.

Two candidates are running for a four-year term as Milwaukee City Comptroller. The Comptroller, in effect the city’s chief financial officer, exercises financial control over virtually every aspect of city government including public debt and employee pay. The comptroller also provides audit services and financial analysis of every proposed tax-incremental financing district. The position is separate from the independently-elected City Treasurer who is responsible for revenue collection, including property taxes.

Below you’ll find basic information provided by the candidates themselves and a link to any available campaign resources. And if you click on their name you’ll be brought to any stories written about the candidate. Candidate names are listed in alphabetical order.

Jason Fields. Photo courtesy of #TeamFields.

Jason Fields

Jason Fields is a current member of the Wisconsin State Legislature, serving on the Assembly Committee on Financial Institutions. First elected to the State Assembly in 2004, Jason has become a leader in matters of state and local finance.

His career in business and finance runs deep, having started a venture capital fund, a business consulting firm, and having worked directly in the banking and securities industry.

Jason has always been deeply involved in his community and is well known by his constituents who he proudly represents while serving in the State Assembly.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, his ties to our city and his community are seen in his commitment to public service, which is why he has a passion for making positive change for everyone in our city. Jason is running for Comptroller because he feels Milwaukee is at a crucial moment in its history and he wants to bring his professional background in finance to City Hall to be Milwaukee’s chief financial officer.

He and his wife, La Tasha Fields, live in Milwaukee’s Wyrick Park neighborhood.

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Aycha Sawa. Photo courtesy of the Friends of Aycha Sawa.

Aycha Sawa

Aycha (Sirvanci) Sawa is the current Deputy Comptroller of the City of Milwaukee. She started with the city in 2010 as an auditor and has been promoted many times through various management positions up to the Deputy role 3 years ago. Aycha earned her accounting degree from UW-Madison in 2006, then successfully passed her CPA (certified public accountant) license in 2010, then earning her CIA (certified internal auditor) license in 2015.

Before working at the city, Aycha worked at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in an auditing capacity and then at Baker Tilly auditing various governments in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Aycha is a first-generation American born in Milwaukee. Her parents arrived from Turkey over 40 years ago when her father was recruited by UWM to serve as a statistics professor. She and her husband Drew are proud, loving parents of a beautiful, active toddler. They’ve owned their Milwaukee home since 2016.

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