OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
January 21, 2015
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith, together with City Clerk Susana A. Mendoza, a resolution honoring the life and memory of Judy Barr Topinka.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
; t
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Members of this Chamber were deeply saddened to learn ofthe death on December 10, 2014, at age 70, of Judy Baar Topinka, a longtime member ofthe Illinois General Assembly, a Chair ofthe Illinois Republican Party, the first woman to be elected as Illinois Treasurer, and the recently re-elected Comptroller ofthe Stale oflllinois; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Topinka was born on January 16, 1944 to Lillian Mary and William D. Baar, the children of Czech and Slovak immigrants. Her parents owned a small real estate business in Riverside, Illinois, the western suburb that Ms. Topinka called home. From a very young age, Ms. Topinka was taught the importance of hard work, self-sacrifice and fiscal prudence; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Topinka graduated in 1962 from Ferry Hall School in Lake Forest, Illinois. She earned a bachelor of science degree in 1966 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. In college, Ms. Topinka was a member ofthe Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. An accomplished musician, she played four instruments, and she fluently spoke English, Czech, Spanish and Polish. Later in life Ms. Topinka was named by her sorority's national chapter as one of its three "Outstanding Citizens"; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from college, Ms. Topinka worked for eleven years as a reporter for several award-winning community newspapers, rising through the ranks to become an editor. She also founded her own public relations firm; served as a public affairs executive for the American Medical Association; and became a public relations advisor to a number of local political candidates and organizations. Ms. Topinka's achievements as a journalist and local leader earned her awards from more than 250 civic, business, professional and social service organizations; and
WHEREAS, In 1981, Ms. Topinka began her storied political career in the Illinois General Assembly, where she served two terms in the House of Representatives before being elected in 1984 to the Illinois State Senate, where she served for ten years. One ofthe most beloved and respected political figures in the State oflllinois, Ms. Topinka quickly gained a reputation for competence, veracity, frankness and pragmatism. A fierce advocate for her constituents, Ms. Topinka was a firm believer in bipartisanship, and she willingly reached across the aisle to find common ground; and
WHEREAS, On November 8, 1994, Ms. Topinka was elected Illinois State Treasurer, becoming the first woman to hold this post and the first State Treasurer in Illinois history to win three consecutive terms. As Treasurer from 1994 to 2007, Ms. Topinka maintained a strong record of fiscal responsibility. Under her leadership, the Treasurer's Office earned record returns on its investments, more than 13,000 new jobs were created through an innovative linked deposits program, the largest agricultural loan program in the country was developed for formers,
and one ofthe most affordable college savings programs in the Nation helped more than 120,000 Illinois families save for college; and
WHEREAS, In 2002, Ms. Topinka was elected Chair ofthe Illinois Republican Party, a posilion that she held until 2005. In March of 2006, Ms.Topinka was nominated as the Republican candidate for Governor oflllinois, becoming the first Republican woman to be nominated for that office; and
WHEREAS, A tireless advocate for Illinois taxpayers, Ms. Topinka was first elected as Illinois Comptroller in 2010. Determined to bring efficiency, transparency and accountability to every corner of government, Ms. Topinka created the Ledger, an online database that enabled taxpayers to access financial information about governmental operations; established the State Accounting Standards Board to provide oversight on fiscal reporting processes, and modernized the Comptroller's Office by implementing electronic payments and recordkeeping. Ms. Topinka was re-elected in November 2014; and
WHEREAS, A larger-than-life personality, whose sense of humor and smile brightened the day of everyone in her path, Ms. Topinka doted on her dogs, enjoyed drinking coffee, loved to dance to polka music and to play the accordion, and was passionate about finding loving homes for animals in need. An exceptional role model for women, this past summer Ms. Topinka was named one of the 100 Women of Influence by Today's Chicago Woman; and
WHEREAS, A smart, candid, energetic, vibrant and principled person, whose compassion for people defined her public service, Judy Baar Topinka will always be remembered as a voice for the common man and woman, and as a standard-bearer for honesty and integrity in government; and
WHEREAS, Judy Baar Topinka is survived by her son, Joseph; by her daughter-in-law, Christina; by her granddaughter, Alexandra Faith Baar Topinka; and by countless admirers and friends; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-first day of January, 2015, do hereby honor the life and memory of Judy Baar Topinka; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Judy Baar Topinka as a sign ofour sympathy and good wishes.