Reboot Illinois Questionnaire Please describe in your own words, what does the comptroller do?
The word comptroller is a synonym for financial controller. In general, the Illinois Comptroller’s Office pays the State’s bills and monitors State funds. The Comptroller, in accordance with the law, shall maintain the State’s central fiscal accounts, and order payments into and out of the funds held by the Treasurer. In other words, the Comptroller is responsible for controlling the State’s checkbook. During times when there is a budget impasse, the Comptroller’s role is especially important because outside of court orders and government decrees, they have the power to prioritize payments. How would you approach your duties?
I will be an independent truthtelling fiscal watchdog that prioritizes both the fiscal and moral health of the state. I will approach my role with fiscal responsibility and a strong moral compass. My top priority will be to continually serve and protect the most vulnerable populations in this State. I will also work to enhance the overall internal control environment of the State in order to run a more effective and efficient office. I will in concert with the Director of CMS and the Auditor General, take a fresh look at the Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act (FCIAA), to ensure it reflects the most current thinking on fiscal and administrative internal control guidance. As Comptroller, I will be in a unique position to broker needed fiscal stewardship measures across the Illinois state enterprise. I will leverage technological advances to make it more efficient and easier to maintain accountable stewardship of and control over funds, and I will ensure that the State Comptroller’s Office stays up to date with the best and most efficient practices for overseeing our tax dollars. How does your professional background prepare you for this position?
I am an experienced legislator and executive manager, having served 10 years in the Illinois General Assembly and five years as the elected Chicago City Clerk. In my five years as Chicago City Clerk, I dramatically and successfully overhauled the Office of the City Clerk of Chicago to better serve Chicago taxpayers. Our 21st Century reboot of a City Sticker Program dating back to 1908, was lauded by both customers and national experts on innovation in government, and earned us the “Bright Idea Award” from Harvard University. Our Office is now recognized for increasing access to City Council and City government. Unlike most government offices, I have led the charge of doing more with less. That means, streamlining systems, cutting overtime by over 70%, working with 10% less payroll than when I took office, and voluntarily coming in under budget year after year. I feel a strong responsibility to protect every tax dollar. As such, I have saved Chicagoans millions of dollars, all the while improving customer service. On top of that, we have generated nearly $50 million dollars in new, sustainable revenue for the City by eliminating fraud, increasing compliance, and running a more effective and efficient office. I will apply my deep legislative understanding of State government, along with my proven executive experience and management expertise, to the Office of the Comptroller to better serve the people of Illinois. How would you manage the budget impasse?
The current fiscal crisis in Illinois will require careful and effective management as we work to stabilize the State’s finances. The goal will be providing for the common good while eliminating the practices that 1
led to the financial crisis our State faces today. The comptroller’s duty is to determine priority of payments due, and the best way to do that is to be fully independent. That means not managing the State’s checkbook under the direction of the Governor, which is clearly the case today. I believe that the comptroller has a responsibility to prioritize both the fiscal and moral health of the State. My first priority will be to continually serve and protect the most vulnerable populations of this State, and not allow myself to be party to a political agenda that, for all intents and purposes, holds payments to the most vulnerable in our State hostage. I will not stand by quietly while child care or senior care workers have to fight for payments in the courts. Today, more than ever, the people of Illinois deserve an independent, truthtelling fiscal watchdog who will prioritize people over politics. Too much is at stake for our future – and we are already seeing the damage from the budget stalemate from college students not returning to school because of a lack of MAP grant funding to families across the State having to decide between work or welfare because they cannot afford child care. Seniors are going hungry without food due to the cuts to Meals on Wheels. It’s shameful that the current comptroller waited to be sued and threatened to be held in contempt of court before releasing payments to early childhood intervention service providers and developmentally disabled seniors. I understand the State needs to get its fiscal house in order, but I know from experience as Chicago City Clerk that with vision and determination, we can transform government to better serve people while saving taxpayer dollars in the process. I will continue to encourage both sides to come to the table and negotiate in the best interests of the State. I believe common ground can be found and I will commit to being part of the solution. Please explain your thoughts on paying lawmakers during the budget impasse
I believe lawmakers should be treated like everybody else in our State and receive no special treatment. They should have to wait in line, just like everyone else. It’s that simple. What is your relationship with unions?
I am a strong supporter of organized labor and always have been. I believe they are a crucial component of our middle class. My father was a union pipefitter. My father in law was a union electrician. Now, as a wife and a mother I understand more deeply how important it is to provide stability for my child, and what it meant to my pipefitter father to be able to provide for his family. Thanks in part to his union, my father was able to take care of our family and provide us with opportunities that we otherwise would not have had access to. I am running for Illinois Comptroller because I believe that the middle class is under attack by Governor Bruce Rauner and his selfproclaimed wingman, Comptroller Leslie Munger. His overthetop abusive fascination with destroying organized labor is a position I wholeheartedly disagree with. I am against RightToWork legislation and am against holding the budget hostage to Governor Rauner’s nonbudgetary related Turn Around Agenda items, which is nothing more than a full on assault on working men and women in this State. What is your relationship to party leaders? How do you establish a rapport with them?
I am especially skilled at forming strong relationships with people from all walks of life. Throughout my career I have earned a reputation as a hardworking and effective bipartisan public official. As a legislator, I took pride in the strong bipartisan relationships I cultivated. Most of my legislative bills included both democratic and republican cosponsors. Elections are always partisan, but once the election is over, the winners must be prepared to govern in the best interest of Illinoisans. When public 2
officials keep the people of Illinois in mind, everyone can work together. I am a Democrat, but don’t consider myself a Partisan. I have a history of standing up to leaders in my own party, but also being able to work together, even after disagreements, in order to get the work of the people done. How do you recommend the state handle the bill backlog?
I believe the Comptroller should handle the bill backlog by making payments toward debt service so as not to further downgrade our credit rating, general state aid to schools, medicaid, and payroll. Beyond that, bills should be paid on a first in first out basis with special priority being given to social service providers and safety net recipients. Why are you the best person for this role?
I am the best person for this role because I am a seasoned, tested and proven legislator, and more importantly, executive manager who is strong, independent and ready to help get the State back on track. I am committed to working to enhance the overall internal control environment of the State in order to run a more effective and efficient office. My bipartisan credentials and history of standing up to leaders of my own party, whether it was standing up to my party leaders on the issue of ethics reform, voting against legislative pay raises, or taking on Governor Blagojevich before it was popular to do so, provide voters with a track record of independence they can count on. I will be an independent truthtelling fiscal watchdog who will prioritize both the fiscal and moral health of the State, by championing people over politics. I am the best person for the role of Comptroller because I understand and am keenly aware of the challenges facing middle class Illinoisans, parents, and people with aging parents, yet also understand how important growing our economy is in order to keep and grow jobs in our State. As Chicago City Clerk, managing the second largest office in the City, I’ve taken an office once seen as a beacon of inefficiency and a waste of taxpayer dollars and in less than five years, transformed it into a model in government efficiency that’s created over $50 million dollars in new revenue for Chicago while dramatically improving services for taxpayers at no additional cost to them. I know how to make government work well for people because I’ve done that for Chicagoans as their Clerk. I will take that tested and proven management experience into the Comptroller’s Office, and be ready to take on the challenge by being that independent truthtelling fiscal watchdog they deserve, on day one.
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