Everyone Wants to Merge Comptroller, Treasurer's Offices But Madigan

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 30, 2011 3:30PM

Both Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford and Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka are in support of an amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would merge their two offices. The bill, which would create a new office called the Comptroller of the State Treasury, received unanimous support from the Illinois Senate, backing from 50 members of the Illinois House, and would save taxpayers $12 million a year.

Merging the offices, on paper, also seems to make good common sense as the Treasurer's office is responsible for Illinois' investments, while the Comptroller pays the state's bills. So what's keeping this from happening.

More like "who?" As in Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Madigan has had the bill stalled for months in the House Rules Committee and mainly cites historical precedent in his opposition. Former State Auditor Orville Hodge served 6-1/2 years in prison for embezzling $6.15 million from the state's coffers between 1952 and 1956. Madigan is wary of eliminating the checks to keep a similar scandal from happening. Madigan spokesman Steve Brown told Chicago News Cooperative, “You have to deal with the safeguards that led to the creation of the two offices.”

Rutherford countered that the simplicity of Hodge's embezzling — he simply forged the authorization of dispensing state funds — are now held in check by changes in technology and the creation of a statewide auditor, who inspects both the Treasurer's and Comptroller's offices records. Brown said his boss still doesn't believe Rutherford and Topinka have countered why the two separate offices were created during the 1970 constitutional convention.

Another possibility for Madigan's opposition to merging the offices could be political in nature. Both Rutherford and Topinka are Republicans and, in recent years, the state GOP has tried to use the treasurer's office as a stepping stone to higher office. Madigan thwarted previous mergers in 1998 and 2000, believing a combined office of Treasurer would give an incumbent Republican an advantage in upcoming elections. Brown rejected that notion, telling the State Journal-register, “The only criteria we ever use to evaluate legislation is whether it makes common sense.”

Topinka argued that saving the state $12 million a year and eliminating redundancies between the two departments should be enough common sense for Madigan. So does the Sun-Times in an editorial in today's paper. If, for some reason, Madigan eventually comes around to the idea of merging the two offices, the measure would be placed on the 2012 ballot as a referendum.