Democratic Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate David Crowley said he would make government ethics and transparency a priority in the state budget if elected, proposing new restrictions on public officials’ financial activities and records. Crowley, who is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in the Nov. 3 election, announced the proposals Monday outside the state Capitol. He said elected officials should use public office to serve residents rather than profit from information or influence gained through government work. His plan would prohibit politicians from trading individual stocks. Officials who already hold individual shares would be required to move those investments into mutual funds, index funds or a blind trust, according to the campaign. Crowley also proposed barring elected officials from participating in prediction markets and prohibiting public employees from using confidential government information for personal financial gain. He said prediction markets should not become another way to profit from political events or influence. The proposals come as Congress has not adopted comparable restrictions, Crowley said. He argued that public confidence is weakened when officials can trade on information connected to their government responsibilities, particularly as Wisconsin residents face high costs for fuel, food and health care. Crowley’s plan would also impose a two-year cooling-off period on members of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission before they could work for utility or energy companies. The PSC regulates electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunications providers. State law currently bars former commissioners from testifying before the PSC for one year after leaving office, but does not impose the broader employment restriction Crowley proposed. The governor appoints PSC commissioners, subject to confirmation by the state Senate. Crowley said the proposed restriction is intended to prevent conflicts of interest and would not discourage qualified people from serving. Another part of the plan would prevent state legislators from deleting official documents and correspondence. Wisconsin lawmakers have been exempt from a broader records-retention requirement since 1961, allowing them to delete emails and destroy other records unless those materials have already been requested under the state’s public records law. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Democratic lawmakers have previously tried to eliminate that exemption, but efforts have stalled in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Crowley said retaining lawmakers’ records would give journalists, courts and the public a clearer view of how elected officials conduct state business and spend taxpayer money. Tiffany said he has not traded stocks while serving in Congress and agreed that Wisconsin needs stronger measures to combat fraud and corruption. He said his approach would go beyond Crowley’s proposals. Tiffany called for modernizing OpenBook Wisconsin, the state’s online spending database, so taxpayers can more easily search government expenditures. He also proposed deadlines for responding to open-records requests, agency dashboards listing contractors and violations, and tougher ethics rules aimed at preventing legislators from subcontracting for lobbying organizations. If elected governor, Tiffany said he would audit state government for waste, fraud and corruption and evaluate whether taxpayers are receiving the services they deserve.