Topinka perfect person to eliminate own office

Who: Judy Baar Topinka

Office: Illinois State Comptroller

Job Description: The comptroller maintains the state’s accounts and issues payments in and out; additionally the office regulates cemetery funding and maintenance. The office was created by the Illinois Constitution of 1970.

County treasurer’s “lockbox” plays key role in Cook solvency

Who: Maria Pappas

Office: Cook County Treasurer

Job Description: As the manager of the second largest tax collection office in the U.S., the Cook County Treasurer is responsible for over $9 billion collected annually. The Treasurer’s Office is in charge of mailing, collecting, investing and distributing all real estate taxes for Cook County. Much work goes into the collection, which happens twice a year, including certifying refunds, investigating delinquent properties, accounting and auditing and processing court orders, among other things. The office also acts as banker of Cook County, keeping financial records and approving much of the accounts in many county operations.

Berrios to be closely watched as new Cook County Assessor

Who: Joe Berrios

Office: Cook County Assessor

Job description: The assessor determines important property values for commercial and residential parcels. Values set by the assessor determine property taxes in an area. One-third of properties in the county are reassessed each year.

Rutherford wants to expand financial literacy programs

Who: Dan Rutherford (R)

Office: Illinois State Treasurer

Job description: Under the fifth article of the Illinois Constitution, the treasurer “shall be responsible for the safekeeping and investment of monies and securities.” In short, the treasurer is the state banker; Rutherford will be tasked with protecting and managing government funds.

Preckwinkle: Does she face biggest job?

Who: Toni Preckwinkle

Office: Cook County Board president

Job description: President of the Cook County Board oversees a budget of $3 billion and 24,000 jobs. Preckwinkle, as chief executive officer, will preside over the meetings of the County Board. She is the first woman to be elected to the office.

Illinois Treasurer’s race: undecided voters will swing it

The Race:

Illinois State Treasurer

The Job:

The treasurer is in charge of investing the state’s funds, finding the rightful owners of unclaimed properties and managing the college savings program Bright Start.

Illinois Governor’s race: Brady bunch to be wire-to-wire winner?

The Race:

Illinois Governor

The Job:

As the chief executive of the state, the governor of Illinois is responsible for enacting laws passed by the Illinois General Assembly. The governor resides in the state’s executive mansion in Springfield. Illinois currently has no gubernatorial term limit. With the state’s history of corruption in the gubernatorial seat and the current budget deficit, transparency and spending reform are on the top of all candidate’s list.

Cook County Assessor’s race: not for faint-hearted

The Race:

Cook County Assessor

The Job:

The Cook County Assessor’s Office is not just the final destination of Jake and Elwood to pay back taxes (The Blues Brothers). The office is responsible for assessing the values of each parcel of property in the county (the job of the Assessor) and hearing appeals to the values they’ve assessed the Board of Review), usually done with the aid of specialized appeals lawyers. The property taxes paid depend on the assessed value. The office is notoriously corrupt, officials often accused of accepting money and other bribes in exchange for lowered assessments and granting appeals.