Shaking Up Springfield: Brauer on Board for Savings

[January 23, 2015]  SPRINGFIELD - This week, Illinois State Representative Rich Brauer (R-Petersburg) has joined his Republican colleagues in the Illinois House by co-sponsoring House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 3 (HJRCA #3), which would combine the offices of Comptroller and Treasurer into the office of Comptroller of the Treasury for the State of Illinois.

For several years, the idea of joining the offices of State Comptroller and State Treasurer has been contemplated by Illinois State officials, citing budget savings. “We’re in a critical spot, our finances are tough right now,” said Rep. Brauer. It has been estimated that merging the two constitutional offices would save millions of dollars every year. A merger would also streamline operations, because the duties of both offices overlap in many areas and naturally connect.

However, there is one hurdle--Under current law, our state prevents the person who invests our funds from being able to write the checks for the money they manage. But, there are several states that already successfully operate under a merged model, including Texas, Florida and New York.

HJRCA3 already has the support of Current Comptroller Leslie Munger, Treasurer Michael Frerichs and Governor Rauner. The bill has been referred to the Rules Committee of the Illinois House, where it awaits approval and passage to the Illinois House.

Read the text and follow the status of HJRCA #3

[From the office of Illinois State Representative Rich Brauer]