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Political affiliation: Republican

City: Riverside

Marital status: Single

Occupation/Firm name: Board Member, Regional Transportation Authority; Chairman, Smart Money Housing (not-for-profit certified housing agency)

Campaign HQ address: PO Box 93 Springfield, IL 62705

Campaign website: www.judybaartopinka.com

What is your campaign budget- No response

What do you consider to be the most important roles and responsibilities of this office-

In the literal sense, the Comptroller is the state's Chief Fiscal Officer and responsible for managing state finances and dispersing payments. But with that responsibility comes tremendous opportunity to serve as an advocate for taxpayers, and lead efforts to turn Illinois into a leader in transparent, fiscally-honest government. That means not only making financial information available, but easily accessible to the public and media. It means using the bully pulpit to expose budget games and impropriety. And it means approaching state finances with a long-term view for the state and its taxpayers, and not short-sighted solutions to get through another budget year. As a former state Treasurer with a history of honest public service, I am uniquely positioned to lead efforts to restore our state's finances and reputation--and that is exactly what I intend to do as its Comptroller.

What role should the comptroller play in solving the state's budget crisis-

As Chief Fiscal officer, the Comptroller should participate in budget negotiations. As it stands, the Governor pieces together a budget with legislative leaders and pushes it through the General Assembly without consultation from those elected statewide to manage Illinois finances. That needs to change. The Comptroller should serve as the first line of defense for taxpayers, examining state contracts and exposing waste and fraud regardless of political consequences. State leaders will think twice about budget shenanigans when they realize their actions will be subjected to public scrutiny. As one who has never had an issue with speaking my mind, I look forward to serving as that advocate for taxpayers, and ensuring the decisions made are in the best interest of the state, and not just politically expedient.

Do you support or reject increasing the state income tax- What about expanding the sales tax base-

Illinois families and businesses today face staggering economic challenges and are already sacrificing--the last thing they need is to pay more in taxes. Given that state government has spent itself into fiscal crisis, its first priority must now be to cut spending and identify ways to become more efficient. Until that occurs, I have little interest in talking about taxes. It is no secret that the state budget is structurally flawed, and our $13 billion deficit will continue to grow daily until we address those long-term challenges. We must take-on issues like Medicaid funding, which already consumes the state budget and continues to rise at a rate of nine-percent annually. Unfortunately, state leaders have lacked the political willpower to make those changes in the past, turning November into an ideal time for voters to send a clear message that further inaction will not be tolerated.

We can best expand our sales tax base by attracting new businesses to Illinois, which will require a dramatic change in our business climate. That means keeping taxes low and working with employers to create conditions that attract business and jobs. We must end talk of taxing existing businesses more, and focus on how we can change economic conditions and grow our tax base.

What, if anything, can the comptroller's office do to speed up payment to state vendors-

Like an over-extended household or business, the largest single reason for delay in payment to vendors is that the state simply does not have the dollars to pay its bills, and there is no magic answer to that financial crisis. But there are things the Comptroller can do to expedite payments and get Illinois back on track, including leveraging the state's accounts relievable for upfront cash, and prioritizing payments that result in an immediate federal match.

It is also important for state agencies to stop playing games with payments. It is not uncommon for agencies to purposely delay submission of bills to the Comptroller's Office in order to slow payments and avoid the "prompt payment" penalty from being levied on an overdue bill. The practice is irresponsible and needs to end. As Comptroller, I will implement procedures to ensure that bills are submitted for payment in a timely manner.

Given the state's budget crisis, list which payments you would make first as comptroller- What would be your top payment priorities-

Simply, the state must prioritize payment for those who need it most. That means ensuring that health care, education and social service agencies have the funding required to continue serving their communities. In the case of health care organizations and hospitals, receiving promised funding can literally be a matter of life and death. Education is an essential investment in our youth and workforce, while social service agencies serve our most vulnerable residents--their work must not be compromised by the state's financial mess. To be clear the state has many critical needs, but given a choice of bad options, I believe those most in need must take precedence.

What is your opinion of the state's practice of borrowing to pay bills, including to pay pension obligations-

As Treasurer, I established strict criteria for short-term borrowing that I will continue as Comptroller. Specifically, my questions will remain: how much is needed, what is it for, and what is the plan and timeline for paying it back. If those questions have satisfactory answers, I will consider it. Short-term borrowing for cash flow purposes to trigger federal matching funds also makes sense. But the state's unconscionable practice of endless borrowing to mask a structural deficit does not. In the early 1990's, Gov. Edgar put us on the path to solvency for our pension system--I whole-heartedly supported that effort then and it's imperative we get back on that track now.

Should the comptroller have the authority to block state payment requests he or she thinks are fiscally unsound or inappropriate-

As Comptroller, I cannot substitute my judgment for that of the Governor and General Assembly--as much as I might like to. But I can and will stand-up against wasteful spending and fraud, serving as a watchdog over taxpayer dollars. I will not hesitate to use the bully pulpit to expose waste, and will refuse to make payment when the proper procurement procedures have not been followed. And when necessary, I will immediately report any suspected fraud to the Attorney General. I applauded Comptroller Dan Hynes for standing-up to the Blagojevich Administration and refusing to pay for expired flu shots, and will not blink at taking similar action if and when a similar situation arises while I'm in office.

Should the state's unfunded pension liability and retiree health care costs be accounted for in state budgets- How would you make the state's true fiscal condition more transparent to taxpayers-

Yes, taxpayers should be aware of the full-scope and severity of the state's fiscal crisis, and that includes highlighting the more than $80 billion in unfunded state pension liabilities, and retiree health care costs. In fact, transparency is a key component of any successful effort to restore fiscal integrity to state government, and may well have prevented many of Springfield's past mistakes. To that end, I believe the Governor and Comptroller should present a full financial accounting of the state at the annual budget address, including bond debt, pension debt and unfunded liabilities. As it stands, the address has become more about propaganda and less about the true financial condition of Illinois. That needs to change, and I will work as Comptroller to ensure that the General Assembly and public have a full and accurate picture of our financial condition.

How would you improve public access to data generated by the comptroller's office, including access to contracting and payroll databases-

Given technology today, there is no excuse for a lack of transparency in state government. That is why I have proposed posting all salaries of state and local government employees on an easily searchable database on the Comptroller website. Beyond salaries, I believe it important to use the site as a one-stop-shop for all contracting information that would detail: award and completion date, amount, scope of services, and names of any and all subcontractors. The initiative will assist in exposing fraud, including when companies use women or minority owned businesses as a front to obtain an unfair and illegal advantage in bidding.

Should the Legislature make any changes to the campaign finance law passed in 2009- Would you support capping donations from party leaders during general elections-

The 2009 reform legislation was a nice first step toward reducing the influence of special interests and restoring public trust in Illinois elections, but should have gone further. Given the incredible damage caused by Rod Blagojevich and our state's national reputation for corruption, the General Assembly had a prime opportunity to send a message that it was serious about bringing change, but fell short. Specifically, the state should absolutely cap donations from party leaders in both general and primary campaigns. There also is opportunity in my role as Comptroller to work closely with the state Board of Elections to ensure state vendors are not contributing to candidates who are responsible for awarding their contracts. Those changes build on the legislation of 2009, and I will continue to identify and support proposals that target corruption, and restore the reputation of Illinois government.

Do you support combining the functions of the offices of the comptroller and treasurer-

Not only do I support consolidation of the Constitutional offices, but pledge to make it a top priority upon taking office in January, 2011. In fact, Republican nominee for state Treasurer Dan Rutherford and I have agreed to work together to make this long-talked about proposal a reality. And after traveling to more than 20 Illinois communities in just over a week with Rutherford to build support for consolidation, I can tell you that voters are ready for the change.

By conservative estimates, consolidating the offices will save Illinois taxpayers more than $12 million annually through streamlined operations and improved investment of tax dollars. Beyond the dollars saved, it takes a strong first step in demonstrating that state government is serious about tightening its belt and becoming more efficient, that it can reduce spending and make changes just as families and businesses across the state already do.

After working as Treasurer to consolidate these offices, I am convinced that this is our best opportunity to actually get it done.

List your educational background

Northwestern University, Medill School, BS in Journalism

Please list civic, professional, fraternal or other organizations to which you belong

Riverside Township Committeeman; Chairman, Smart Money Housing; Member of the Loyola Board of Regents; Light Opera-Works; Animal Protective League

Have you held elective or appointive political office or been employed by any branch of government-

Three terms as Illinois State Treasurer; Three terms as Illinois State Senator; One term as Illinois State Representative

Please list jobs or contracts you, members of your immediate family or business partners have had with government

Board member, Regional Transportation Authority

Name your five biggest campaign contributors and the amount they contributed

To date our campaign enjoys the support of more than 2,000 financial donors. All contributions exceeding $250 are reported and posted at www.elections.state.il.us

Please paste a brief biography here

Judy Baar Topinka is running for State Comptroller to put her experience, integrity, and sound judgment back to work for the people of Illinois. As Comptroller she'll bring those old-fashioned values of hard work, plain talk, and common sense back to Springfield.

Judy Baar Topinka was elected Illinois State Treasurer on November 8, 1994--becoming the first woman in Illinois history to hold this post. She also became the first Republican to be elected State Treasurer in 32 years. Topinka made history again in November 1998, as she won a second term as State Treasurer--becoming the first woman to be re-elected to a statewide office. Winning re-election to a third term as Illinois State Treasurer in 2002, Topinka became the first State Treasurer to win three consecutive terms.

As State Treasurer from 1995-2007, Judy maintained a strong record of fiscal responsibility. During her tenure, the state earned record amounts of income on investments, money that helped to alleviate the tax burden on working families and made state government run more efficiently. Under her leadership, the Treasurer's Office helped create and retain more than 13,000 new jobs through an innovative linked deposits program; developed the nation's largest agriculture loan program for farmers, and helped more that 120,000 families save for college by creating one of the most affordable college savings programs in the nation.

A recognized and respected fiscal conservative and taxpayer watchdog, Judy consistently spoke up when she believed public officials were acting irresponsibly. When Rod Blagojevich wanted to raid state funds, Judy stood up to him and refused to make the transfers.

As the granddaughter of immigrants, Judy learned from a very young age to respect the hard work and sacrifice that families all across Illinois make each and every day in order to make life better for their children. Judy's parents were small business owners who taught her the importance of living within your means and managing money responsibly; a lesson our broken state government would be apt to learn today.

The Early Years

Born in Riverside, Illinois on January 16, 1944, Judy Baar Topinka graduated from the Ferry Hall School in Lake Forest in 1962, and earned a B. S. degree in 1966 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Upon graduation, Topinka established herself as an accomplished journalist in the Cook County suburbs, including eleven years as a reporter and editor for several award-winning community newspapers.

She served as a public affairs executive with the American Medical Association and as a public relations advisor to area political candidates and organizations.

A Recognized Leader

After a successful career in journalism, Topinka began her political career as a State Representative from the Western Suburbs in 1980. Serving two terms in the Illinois House of Representatives positioned Topinka for a successful bid for State Senate in 1984--where she served as State Senator for a decade. Topinka continues to serve locally as the Riverside Township Republican Committeeman.

A Dedication to Public Service

Since leaving public office nearly three years ago, Judy has continued to use her knowledge and background to help Illinois residents. In 2008, she established a not-for-profit financial counseling agency that helps families facing foreclosure save their homes. Located on the West Side of Chicago, the Smart Women, Smart Money Educational Foundation (SWSM) has provided financial literacy and housing counseling to more than 1,000 Illinois families in need.

Achievements

Topinka's achievements as a journalist and public servant have earned her awards from more than 250 civic, business, professional and social service organizations, including the "Molly Pitcher" Award (1994); The Prairie Institute's Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Outstanding Public Service (1998); Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League (1999); The Money Smart Award from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (2002); Customer Service Initiative for Unclaimed Properties￯﾿ﾽExcellence Award (2002); National Association of Woman Business Owners Chicago Area Chapter Hall of Fame 2003; the Asian American Coalition of Chicago Grand Asian Award (2003); the Department of the Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Medal; and the AMVETS Silver Helmet Award (2003).

Topinka belongs to more than 60 business and professional organizations, including the City Club of Chicago, Government Finance Officers Association and the West Suburban Chapter of the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority--which named her one of three "Outstanding Citizens" by her National Sorority in 1994.

Topinka continues to reside in Riverside, Illinois. Her son Joseph and daughter-in-law, Christina, reside in Texas where Joseph is currently assigned as a major in the U.S. Army.

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