New Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger says she’s continuing her predecessor’s efforts to prioritize payments for social service agencies.
Governor Bruce Rauner appointed Munger to the seat following Judy Baar Topinka’s death. Munger says she spent 15 years volunteering for a not-for-profit agency serving developmentally disabled adults.
“So I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it is when the state doesn’t pay its bills on time, and how hard it is for social service organizations who serve those who are most needy in our state.”
Munger says she encourages organizations that are desperate for the money the state owes them to call the Comptroller’s office. She says the state has an eight-billion dollar backlog of bills.
Munger was in Peoria Tuesday to talk with local leaders about the state’s fiscal condition as well as the vision for her office. She says her office is looking to put together a new state accounting system.
“…which will help us be more efficient, will help agencies that report up through the state be more efficient, (and) might help reduce their costs as we look forward to maybe some budget cuts in some of these areas.”
Munger says she’s also pushing for the consolidation of the state Comptroller and Treasurer offices. She says that could save 12-million dollars. She says she’s also working on ways to reduce redundancies between the state and local governments.