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I doubt this bill is going anywhere (Pankau is a Senate Republican, after all, and most of their proposals appear automatically doomed), but let’s discuss it anyway.

Three months ago, Carole Pankau lost her election bid to become state comptroller. Now, she’s backing a legislative measure to abolish the office, saying its functions don’t require a separate elective position.

No, it isn’t vengeance against the man who defeated her, Dan Hynes. In fact, he has said that he generally agrees that Illinois doesn’t need both a comptroller and a treasurer. […]

She joins former Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and another failed comptroller candidate, Sen. Chris Lauzen, in her call to eliminate the office.

Question: Should the comptroller’s office be abolished?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 9:24 am

Comments

Should we reduce the size of our government? Uh, yeah, absolutely. Isn’t this obvious?

Comment by C$ Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 9:26 am
Yes.

Sometimes reform screws up. It is time to reform the reform put into place after Orville Hodge bilked the state and ended up in prison.

Splitting the offices has cost Illinois more than Orville ever stole.

Dump the Comptroller’s office.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 9:38 am
Yes.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 9:58 am
Yes - Blago has already merged a bunch of state agencies and saved the tax payors lots of money by eliminating duplication. Let’s keep it going.

Comment by Mr. Ethics Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 9:58 am
when losers and winners can agree to do something like this, why not, & for once, show some stones and common sense and set an end date and GO!.

Comment by GM Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 9:59 am
Absolutely! The “financial” functions could/should be transferred to the Treasurer and other regulatory functions could be transferred to any of the alphabet agencies that would be appropriate.

Comment by Common sense Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:01 am
It should be done, but it probably won’t.

The most likely outcome of this would be a primary match between Alexi and Hynes for Treasurer in 2010. So, it has a better chance of passing the House (which is controlled by someone who is no fan of Alexi) than the Senate (which is controlled by the “political god-father” of Alexi’s “political god-father”).

Comment by grand old partisan Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:03 am
Abolish it… Orville Hodge… gosh, gone but not forgotten.

Comment by Bill Baar Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:11 am
Rep. Mike Boland (D, Moline)has introduced a proposed constitutional amendment (HJRC0014)in the House to abolish both comptroller and treasurer and to create one new office called State Fiscal Officer.

Comment by respectful Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:13 am
Dump it.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:21 am
We “DO NOT” need a Comptroller or a Lt. Guv in Illinois.

Comment by Scoot Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:25 am
No. Although from a purely functional view, the Comptroller and Treasurer offices could be merged, while preserving some independence (due to election) from the rest of the Executive Branch, the savings would be minimal. The strongest reason to retain all of the elected State offices is political — to provide statewide steps for politicians to become experienced Statewide officials and viable candidates for higher office. Its difficult enough now to run for Governor. If we eliminate the other statewide offices, there is no place for young ambitious folks to go earn their stripes and get known - STATEWIDE. Then money rules even more. Efficiency is important, but not everything.

Comment by DavidChicago Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:25 am
Yes. Abolish the office.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:30 am
Sure, get rid of it. At the same time, do we really need Pankau AND Lauzen?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:33 am
This could be just step #1 to streamlining state government. But, of course, it won’t be. This is Illinois after all.

Comment by Niles Township Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:33 am
Yes and I second Scoot’s nomination for getting rid of the Lt. Governor also. Another great idea most of the voting public would agree with that the leaders will ignore because it’s not in their political interests.

Comment by Jeff Trigg Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:39 am
Lord knows, that the Executive Branches of Government have plenty of eyes on them but more the twin financial executive offices: Comptroller cahrgedwith disbursements and central accounts and Treasurer with investment of State monies.

Good-goos might argue that fusing the offices would shrink government, but having two Executives charged with two distinct and vital financial agendas seems to make sense -Orville Hodge’s nickle pinching not-withstanding.

Keep the two offices.

Comment by Pat Hickey Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:41 am
Dump the comptroller’s office, the lt. gov office, and township government down the well.

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:52 am
My only concern with abolishing the office would be that the General Assembly would somehow find a way to add more workers to the office. They already did that with the Treasurer’s office, and I’m sure someone in the GA would want to do it again.

Perhaps we should also put the State Auditor under the Treasurer’s office. After all, the Treasurer keeps the books and sometimes must scrutinize spending decisions.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 11:01 am
Consolidate the offices. DavidChicago I’m not bothered in the slightest if young, ambitious pols would have one less rung on the political ladder. One less highly paid politician and his staff is good for Illinois.

Also in Chicago there is no need for an Office of the City Clerk. Abolish it and place the permits, stickers, and licensing functions under the Department of Revenue.

Comment by Tom Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 11:14 am
I’m all for abolishing one of the offices. If it were up to me, however, I would find a way to abolish the current treasurer’s office based upon who holds it. Alexi vs. Hynes…I think that’s a no brainer.

Comment by the wonderboy Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 11:32 am
Dump the Illinois GOP.

We already have a political party in Illinois.

Comment by George Ryan's Cellmate Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 11:41 am
LOLOLOL

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 11:45 am
Well I need to know more about the job of state controller. Then I could say whether we need to abolish it or not. And I’m not for abolishing the Lt. Governorship. I imagine people are against it because it is irrelevant. Perhaps make the Lt. Governor head of the state Senate. Now that would work for me.

Comment by Levois Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 11:47 am
No!

The two offices have two separate functions and I believe eliminating the Comptroller would complicate the duties of the Treasurer.

We talking about the states money; collections and payroll. Keep them separate.

However, the Lt. Governor job should be abolished unless it is given to someone who takes a more active role in governing. Such as taking on some of the duties of the Governor. Contrary with two Deputy Governor’s who needs a Lt. Governor.

Comment by One_Mcmad Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 12:49 pm
Meh, who cares? This idea isn’t going anywhere. It is a Republican idea, and right now… Being a Republican in Illinois is like being a homosexual in Tim Hardaway’s locker-room….

Comment by Lovie's Leather Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 12:58 pm
yes.

and someone start the effort to merge the many
elected offices in Cook County. Recorder of
Deeds? A Clerk for the County and one for
the Court? madness.

Comment by amy Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 2:58 pm
Yes, merge them. The function of a Comptroller is just a subset of the normal responsibilities of a Treasurer (except in this grossly over-governed state, where nothing is Normal except for one town.) There is no need to abolish the actual title, but the post should be downgraded to be a senior employee of the Treasurer’s Office, hired by the Treasurer, and reporting to the Treasurer.

Comment by Bubs Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 3:10 pm
[sarcasm]

Only if the tasks can be transferred to CMS.

[/end sarcasm]

Comment by God's Country Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 3:28 pm
the wonderboy - about the last thing we should be doing is figuring out the structure of govt based on who holds the offices now……that approach makes no sense at all. I continue to be amazed by the venom expressed against Alexi. What has he done to you guys?

Comment by Way Northsider Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 4:43 pm
Way Northsider–
Take two breaths and relax…I wasn’t implying figuring out the structure of gov’t based upon current office holders. If I was, I would have proposed getting rid of the office of Governor. All I am saying is that if I have to trust the state’s finances to one of the two, I choose Hynes. Actually, I would love to see the election results if those two had to meet. Was that venomous? Wow.

As for what he has done to me…nothing personally. I just don’t trust the guy, and I think my lack of trust is supported by his past. Just my personal opinion (and the opinion of many others I am sure).

Comment by the wonderboy Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 9:36 pm
There is no reason why the state of Illinois– with 12 million people — needs to elect a chief executive, a successor to the chief executive, an attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, and comptroller, when the United States of America — with 300 million people — elects just the first two. The chief government executive of 300 million people appoints the attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, and comptroller with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Do it here. Now. Abolishing the Comptroller’s office is a political stunt. Abolishing ALL of the elected offices except the Gov/Lt Gov ticket would be courageous reform.

Comment by Sage Observer Thursday, Feb 15, 07 @ 10:25 pm