Comptroller candidates take on state debt

To save money, should the state consolidate school districts? Free nonviolent drug offenders from prison? Combine the state's comptroller and treasurer offices?

These are among the ideas proposed by the five comptroller candidates to help the state out of its $13 billion budget deficit.

Running for the state's top financial management job are Republican Judy Baar Topinka, Democrat David Miller, Libertarian Julie Fox, the Constitution Party's Tim Becker and the Green Party's R. Erika Schafer.

Each of them has a slightly different take on how to reduce the state's debt.

Topinka and Miller both propose consolidating the treasurer and comptroller offices, saving a combined $12 million annually in administrative costs, and cracking down on Medicaid fraud.

Miller, a state representative and dentist from Lynwood, has dozens of other budget cutting and revenue enhancement ideas. He proposes upgrading the state's technology, so the comptroller's office doesn't waste money on things like $2 million for postage each year, and he wants to scrutinize all state programs to determine if they are running efficiently. He also supports pension reform legislation, trimming travel expenses, creation of a "rainy day fund," and reducing the number of administrative staff.

"I'm a dentist. I still run a business. So when you hear, 'We should run government like a business,' that's what I would do," Miller said. "We have a small pot of money and many needs. But I believe our state will bounce back."

Changing the way education is funded also is a top issue to Miller, who proposes consolidating school districts to save money. He wants to reform school funding so it's not so reliant on property taxes, and supports increasing the income and corporate tax rate to 5 percent to help fund education.

Topinka, a former three-term state treasurer and three-term state senator from Riverside, says making government more efficient and eliminating waste and duplication is key. She vows to be a valiant watchdog.

Topinka wants the comptroller to be able to sit in on the budgeting process, where matters like the steadily rising cost of Medicaid could be addressed.

"The state cannot 'cut' its way out of the red," Topinka said in a Daily Herald candidate questionnaire. "But instead of racing toward the quick-fix of higher taxes, government should look to expand its tax base by attracting new employers."

Fox, an accountant from Dundee as well as a former Dundee Township Library District board member, proposes some of the most drastic cost-cutting measures. She suggests eliminating the Member Initiative Fund, which she says would save $500 million on "pork barrel spending," and shutting down the $12 billion Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which she calls "a bloated program which subsidizes corporations."

"Spending $12 billion to entice businesses to come to Illinois? We can see how successful that use of our tax money has been. That's crazy in a state that's almost bankrupt," Fox said. "Let's focus on things we should be focusing on. You've got to pay your employees. You've got to pay your utilities; keep the lights on. You have to cut out the fluff in the middle. Let's get back to what (government) is supposed to be, not these layers and layers of administration."

Another idea Fox has to save the state millions of dollars each year is to free all nonviolent drug offenders from state prisons. To jail someone for, say, growing a marijuana plant in his house, doesn't solve the problem but rather breaks up families, creating more problems.

"Because I'm a Libertarian, I don't think people should be in jail. If you've got a drug problem, we can save a lot of money by treating people medically," she said.

Becker, a sales associate from Flossmoor with no previous political experience, said in his candidate questionnaire that the state needs to conduct a forensic audit of all payments and implement zero-based budgeting. He did not respond to requests for an interview.

Schafer did not respond to an interview request or fill out the Daily Herald candidate questionnaire.