Illinois State Comptroller
Encyclopedia
The Comptroller
of Illinois is an elected official of the U.S. state of Illinois
. He or she is responsible for maintaining the State's accounts, and for ordering payments into and out of them. The office was created by the Illinois Constitution of 1970, replacing the office of Auditor of Public Accounts.
, a member of the Republican Party
.
The Comptroller is charged, by the terms of Section 17 of Article V of the Constitution of Illinois, with the duties of: (a) maintaining the central fiscal accounts of the state, and (b) ordering payments into and out of the funds held by the Treasurer of Illinois. In accordance with this duty, the Comptroller signs paycheck
s or grants approval to electronic payments made by the state to its employees and creditors.
The Comptroller is also charged, by Illinois statute, with certain additional duties. In particular, the Comptroller regulates cemeteries
under the Cemetery Care Act, and is charged with the fiduciary protection of cemetery care funds used for the care and maintenance of Illinois gravesites.
The Illinois Constitution provides that the comptroller must, at the time of his or her election, be a United States citizen, at least 25 years old, and a resident of the state for at least 3 years preceding the election.
The Comptroller's office operates a web page
describing the office's powers and duties.
in the 2008-2009 session, would merge the office of Comptroller into the office of Treasurer.
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
of Illinois is an elected official of the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He or she is responsible for maintaining the State's accounts, and for ordering payments into and out of them. The office was created by the Illinois Constitution of 1970, replacing the office of Auditor of Public Accounts.
Current occupant and duties
, the Comptroller of Illinois is Judy Baar TopinkaJudy Baar Topinka
Judy Baar Topinka is the Illinois State Comptroller and former Illinois State Treasurer, having served as Treasurer from 1995 to 2007, and former chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party. She was the first woman to become state treasurer, first to be elected to three consecutive terms and the...
, a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
The Comptroller is charged, by the terms of Section 17 of Article V of the Constitution of Illinois, with the duties of: (a) maintaining the central fiscal accounts of the state, and (b) ordering payments into and out of the funds held by the Treasurer of Illinois. In accordance with this duty, the Comptroller signs paycheck
Paycheck
Paycheck can also refer to:* Paycheck , short story by science fiction author Philip K. Dick* Paycheck , film adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story starring Ben Affleck...
s or grants approval to electronic payments made by the state to its employees and creditors.
The Comptroller is also charged, by Illinois statute, with certain additional duties. In particular, the Comptroller regulates cemeteries
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
under the Cemetery Care Act, and is charged with the fiduciary protection of cemetery care funds used for the care and maintenance of Illinois gravesites.
The Illinois Constitution provides that the comptroller must, at the time of his or her election, be a United States citizen, at least 25 years old, and a resident of the state for at least 3 years preceding the election.
The Comptroller's office operates a web page
Web page
A web page or webpage is a document or information resource that is suitable for the World Wide Web and can be accessed through a web browser and displayed on a monitor or mobile device. This information is usually in HTML or XHTML format, and may provide navigation to other web pages via hypertext...
describing the office's powers and duties.
Controversy
Some legislators have perceived a redundancy overlap between the offices of Comptroller and Treasurer, and have therefore proposed constitutional amendments to merge the two offices and earn administrative savings. For example, HJRCA 12, considered by the Illinois General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
in the 2008-2009 session, would merge the office of Comptroller into the office of Treasurer.
List of office holders
The following is an historic list of office holders for the Comptroller of Illinois and its preceding office, the Auditor of Public Accounts.Auditors of Public Accounts, Illinois Territory
- vacant (1809-1812)
- H. H. Maxwell (1812-1816)
- Daniel Pope CookDaniel Pope CookDaniel Pope Cook was a politician from the U.S. state of Illinois.He was born in Scott County, Kentucky into a branch of the prominent Pope family of Kentucky. He moved to Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1815 and began to practice law...
(1816) - Robert Blackwell (1817)
- Elijah C. Berry (1817-1818)
Auditors of Public Accounts, State of Illinois
- Elijah C. Berry (1818-1831)
- James T. B. Stapp (1831-1835)
- Levi Davis (1835-1841)
- James ShieldsJames ShieldsJames Shields was an American politician and United States Army officer who was born in Altmore, County Tyrone, Ireland. Shields, a Democrat, is the only person in United States history to serve as a U.S. Senator for three different states...
(1841-1843) - William L. D. Ewing (1843-1846)
- Thomas H. Campbell (1846-1857)
- Jessie K. DuBois (1857-1864)
- Orlin H. Miner (1864-1869)
- Charles E. Lippincott (1869-1877)
- Thomas B. Needles (1877-1881)
- Charles P. Swigart (1881-1889)
- Charles W. Pavey (1889-1893)
- David Gore (1893-1897)
- James S. McCullough (1897-1913)
- James J. Brady (1913-1917)
- Andrew Russell (1917-1925)
- Oscar NelsonOscar NelsonOscar Nelson was a Chicago City Alderman, one-time Auditor for the state of Illinois, and interim president of the Building Service Employees International Union, the precursor of the Service Employees International Union, in 1927.Nelson was born in Sweden. He emigrated to the United States and...
(1926-1933) - Edward J. Barrett (1933-1941)
- Arthur C. Lueder (1941-1949)
- Benjamin O. Cooper (1949-1953)
- Orville E. Hodge (1953-1956)
- Lloyd Morey (1956-1957)
- Elbert S. Smith (1957-1961)
- Michael J. Howlett (1961-1973)
Comptrollers, State of Illinois
- George W. LindbergGeorge W. LindbergGeorge Wakem Lindberg is a United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, one of the busiest Federal Courts in the nation.-Early life:...
(1973-1977) - Michael J. Bakalis (1977-1979)
- Roland W. Burris (1979-1991)
- Dawn Clark NetschDawn Clark NetschDawn Clark Netsch is an Illinois professor of law and politician. A member of the Democratic Party in the United States, she served in the Illinois State Senate, as Illinois Comptroller and in 1994 was the first woman to be nominated by a major political party to run for Governor of...
(1991-1995) - Loleta A. Didrickson (1995-1999)
- Daniel W. Hynes (1999-2011)
- Judy Baar TopinkaJudy Baar TopinkaJudy Baar Topinka is the Illinois State Comptroller and former Illinois State Treasurer, having served as Treasurer from 1995 to 2007, and former chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party. She was the first woman to become state treasurer, first to be elected to three consecutive terms and the...
(2011-Present)