Interview: ‘I Shouldn’t Have This Much Power’
Comptroller Susana Mendoza addresses a women's march earlier this year in Springfield. Brian Mackey/NPR Illinois
Illinois government has been deadlocked on a state budget for 23 months. During that time, the once-perfunctory job of comptroller has gained in power and prominence.
On paper, Susana Mendoza is simply in charge of paying the state's bills. But because there’s not nearly enough money to meet Illinois’ obligations, Mendoza must decide who to pay in what order.
For struggling state vendors, an expedited payment can make the difference between staying afloat or going belly up.
Statehouse reporter Brian Mackey recently sat down with Mendoza to talk about that and other financial matters. They spoke late last week in her Capitol office.
Links
- Could Comptroller Force Budget Resolution?
- Want To Win Over Voters? Threaten To Strip Lawmakers Of Their Pay: The Race For Comptroller
- Comptroller: With Stop-Gap Funds, State Backlog Will Be $10B
- Comptroller: Pay For Office Holders To Be Delayed
- Comptroller: Illinois Will Fall $6.2B In Debt Without Budget
- Comptroller: Illinois Just Scraping By On Bills
- Judge Orders Comptroller To Pay State Workers Amid Impasse
- Comptroller Munger Not Immune To Disagreeing With Gov. Rauner