The comptroller of Indiana recently visited the offices of the Tribune in downtown Seymour to talk about her job and to improve communications with Hoosiers about the fiscal state of Indiana and the federal government.

Elise Nieshalla has served as comptroller since 2023, when she was appointed by then-Gov. Eric Holcomb, after her predecessor, Tera Klutz, resigned.

The comptroller is the state’s chief financial officer. The original title for the position was auditor, but that was changed to comptroller in 2023.

The reason for the change of the comptroller’s title is that they personally do not audit the accounts; that role is the job of the Indiana State Board of Accounts.

She also serves as the chair of the National Debt Crisis Task Force, comparing Indiana’s financial position to the $39 trillion in debt.

The interest rate for national debt is much greater than the budget for the U.S military and the annual budget for Medicare, Nieshalla said.

The reason behind her taking on that role was that as a former member of the Boone County Council and a mom of four, she wanted to lower the national debt but did not know how or where to start.

When Holcomb appointed Nieshalla to fill three years of a four-year term as state comptroller, she knew it was the time for her to step up and do as much as she could, she said.

“I reached out to our association of state financial officers and I pitched them,” Neishalla said, “I pitched them on starting the National Debt Crisis Task Force. I felt as financial officers from the states, we were perfectly positioned to have a very poignant voice at the federal level by coming together.”

The task force is currently working on a movement with other states to support Congress and President Donald Trump to help restore the country’s fiscal sovereignty and deficit spending to a manageable level.

“It’s absolutely essential for the national heritage that we want to be able to pass to our young adults, our children, our grandchildren, versus passing on a mountain of debt that [could] squash opportunities and certain freedoms,” Neishall said.