By Benjamin Yount   Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD  –  Two Republican candidates are criss-crossing the state with a unique campaign message this week: Vote for us so you can get rid of one of us.

GOP candidate for Treasurer Dan Rutherford and Republican candidate for Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka unveiled a plan Monday to combine the two offices.

But while the two are busy campaigning on the idea for this fall, the change wouldn’t happen, if it happens at all, until 2014.

Illinois’ Treasurer invests state money, while the Comptroller cuts the checks to spend state money.  Rutherford and Topinka said it just makes sense to have one office handle the state’s two money functions.

The two Republicans figure a consolidation would save Illinois about $12 million a year. Topinka said with a $13 billion budget deficit, Illinois could use the money.

“We think the timing now is very, very right because of the economy and because the state is in such incredible debt, because cuts have to be made.”

But Topinka’s opponent this November, Democrat David Miller, said the state is in debt now and needs those savings now.

“This is a long-term idea that may be worth exploring.  But it’s going to do little to make a dent in the massive debt that Illinois is facing right now,” Miller said.

Rutherford’s Democratic opponent Robin Kelly, who is Chief of Staff to the current Illinois Treasurer, released a statement questioning the Republicans’ plan for a consolidation.

“Trying to take credit for a proposal that Comptroller Hynes and I announced earlier in the [month] and missing 473 votes in one session is hardly in the best interest of taxpayers,” Kelly said.

Kelly and Dan Hynes made their announcement last week.  Democrats are using the “missed vote” count against many Republican legislators this election season.

But the idea of a unified Treasurer and Comptroller is not new. State Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, introduced a similar merger plan back in February.  Though the idea stalled, Miller said he’d be open to trying again.

Illinois used to have just a single financial officer, but that position was split into two back in the 1950′s.

Miller said the history of that office is his other concern.

“As long as we could have [just one] office and make sure that there are no play-to-pay concerns.  But Illinois has to break with the politics of the past.  The politics of George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich,” said Miller.

But before there could be any question of pay-to-play, the merger would have to happen.  And it will take a lot to make that happen.

Rutherford and Topinka said they will introduce a constitutional amendment next year. Then both the Illinois House and Senate will have to approve the same amendment.  Topinka said that’s the first catch.

“[In the past] both chambers passed identical language that there should be a merger.  Then we lose it with the Senate wanting to name this office State Treasurer and the House wanting to name it Comptroller of the Treasury,” she said.

If that happens, then voters would have to vote on the idea on the 2014 ballot.  Then a merger could slowly begin after that.

Rutherford said the process is difficult, but he does not think the difficulty allows him to play politics with the idea.

“It is going to be tough to get done? Yes.  Changing the Constitution is a tough thing to do, and it’s intentionally a tough thing to do.  But I’ll tell you what…I have not yet found anyone in the general public who doesn’t say government should restructure itself if it can save money.  And $12 million a year is a lot [of money].”