Prairie State Wire

Jim Dodge is willing to put his money where his mouth is when it comes to his commitment to saving Illinois taxpayers money.

Even as he wages his Republican campaign to unseat Treasurer Michael Frerichs in November’s general election, Dodge is feverishly pushing the idea of merging the treasurer and comptroller's offices.

“We can save taxpayers money and serve them better if we do this combination well,” Dodge told the Prairie State Wire. “The fact is both of these offices have become heavily politicized over time and with the state being in such bad financial condition having both of them is a luxury we can no longer afford.”

Illinois State Tresure Michael Frerichs

Dodge said there’s still much work to be done figuring out how the merger would work and that taxpayers would ultimately have a say in the matter in the form of a referendum vote.

“Rather it be expanding the office of the treasurer or the comptroller’s office, this needs to happen,” he said. “It’s what's best for the state at this most critical time in Illinois.”

The Illinois State Senate previously voted to place the question of consolidation on the ballot, but the measure never made its way out of the House. Dodge said the idea of consolidation has been well-received whenever he’s broached it on the campaign trail.

“It was bottled up by (House Speaker Mike) Madigan and all his cronies,” Dodge said. “It just didn’t fit with his system of bloated government. A lot of people recognize the state is in horrible shape and if there is a legitimate way to save taxpayers money, it’s something they’re all in favor of.”

Illinois is one of only a few states to still have treasurer and comptroller office holders as elected officials, meaning the Illinois Constitution would have to be changed to merge the two offices.