Comptroller Fox: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: West DundeeWebsite: http://juliefox2014.com/Office sought: Comptroller Age: 56Family: Two grown children, one boy one girl. One of eight siblings, all of whom live in the Chicago area, three with developmental disabilities. Parents both deceased.Occupation: ControllerEducation: B.S. with Distinction in Biochemistry UIUC 1980. B.S. in Biology UIC 1981. Area of Concentration in Chemistry, UIUC 1980. Certified Public Accountant, 1995.Civic involvement: Member of Dundee Township Library District Board 2001-2005. Served on budget committee 2001-2005. Treasurer of Board 2003-2005. Have provided local educational opportunities and community clean-up efforts in various ways since 1995 as Chair of Fox Valley Libertarian Party.Elected offices held: Member of the Dundee Township Library District Board, 2001-2005. Treasurer from 2003-2005. Current Chair and past Treasurer of the Fox Valley Libertarian Party. Treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Illinois 2001-2004. Regional Representative on the Libertarian National Committee, 2006-2010Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Two or three driving tickets over 14 years ago.Questions Answers How would you streamline your office's duties to save the state money?I would approach the Comptroller's office similarly to how I approach duties as a Controller at my current workplace: Review current processes to determine which can done more efficiently or eliminated; review current staff to determine if the work can be accomplished by less people; review current software for possible improvements.What is something the office could be doing now that it isn't?The Comptroller's office could and should use honest, accrual-based accounting methods in their financial reporting, the kind of methods used by most companies in the private sector. In addition to using accrual-based reporting, the office should report income and expense using standard definitions. As Comptroller I would report figures in this way to show how much worse Illinois' financial crisis is than is portrayed by using the state's current, inaccurate methods of financial reporting.What in your background makes you qualified for a specialized office like this?The Comptroller's position is an accounting job in the public sector, and that is how it should be approached. I am the only CPA, in fact the only accountant' running for the top accounting position in Illinois. I have worked for the last 16 years as a Controller in the private sector. I also have public sector accounting experience, having served as Treasurer of the Dundee Township Library District Board from 2003 to 2005.Should your office be combined with the treasurer's?Absolutely! I have been advocating this since 2002 when I first ran for Comptroller. Millions of dollars will be saved each year by combining these two offices. Illinois is one of the few states that still has both of these redundant offices.Is there anything the comptroller can do to help ease the state's bill backlog?Other than streamlining duties in the Comptroller's office itself, there is not a lot that the Comptroller can do directly to ease the backlog of unpaid bills. Indirectly, though, the Comptroller can: 1. Report the entire backlog of bills as a liability on the books, using accrual-based accounting to report figures more honestly and accurately. 2. Once the numbers are reported accurately, use those figures (which will be worse than those currently reported), my position as Comptroller, and my experience as a CPA, to advise the members of the state legislature to cut back on unnecessary state spending.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The most important issues to me are 1. Using honest, accurate financial reporting methods used in the private sector, 2. Having an accountant rather than a career politician handling the books and the financial reporting, 3. Electing a Comptroller who is is not entrenched in the two major parties who created the state's problems in the first place, and 4. Using my position as a officer of the state to sue the members of the state legislature if they do not come up with a truly balanced budget as mandated by the Illinois Constitution.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Ron PaulWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Personal responsibilityIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Traveling the world helping others.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?American history. Learning about the Revolutionary War era from a Constitutionalist is one of the main reasons that I am a Libertarian activist today.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Do what makes you happy as long as you are responsible for yourself at the same time.