Daniel W. Hynes - Biography

Daniel W. Hynes is serving his third term as State Comptroller, having won re-election in 2006 by a margin of more than one million votes. As the state’s chief fiscal officer, Hynes, 40, has become the state’s leading voice for fiscal responsibility. In the process, he has focused his administration on consumer and taxpayer advocacy, government accountability and long-term budget reform.

Hynes’ efforts to secure state funding for stem cell research culminated in the creation of the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute in 2005. In Spring 2006, IRMI awarded $10 million in grants to medical research facilities for the development of stem cell-based treatments and cures, making Illinois the first state in the Midwest to commit public funds to this life-saving work.

Also in 2005, Hynes proposed a legislative package of reforms that attacked “pay to play” politics by dramatically reducing the ability of campaign contributors to get state contracts. At the same time, Hynes led by example and issued an Executive Order making his office subject to the restrictions immediately.

Hynes believes the Comptroller should be a watchdog for taxpayers and consumers. In 2004, his bill protecting 375,000 Illinois workers from punitive new federal overtime rules was signed into law. He also successfully blocked a foreign firm from receiving payment for flu vaccines it had not delivered. Previously, he sponsored successful legislation that prohibits tax scofflaws and corporations involved in financial crimes from getting state contracts. He has also created a means on the Comptroller’s web site by which taxpayers can easily determine whether they are among those owed more than $20 million in uncashed state income tax refunds.

Hynes engineered the creation in 2000 of a Rainy Day Fund, designed to ensure that the state can meet its financial obligations during economic hard times and revenue slowdowns. He also drafted legislation passed in 2003 that generates a permanent revenue source for that fund, establishes a strong budgetary reserve in prosperous times, and creates greater accountability by recognizing and paying down unpaid liabilities. In 2004, his warning that the state’s long-term debt was spiraling out of control helped prompt the General Assembly to tighten controls.

The Comptroller also regulates private cemeteries and funeral homes. After holding statewide hearings and receiving input from hundreds of citizens, Hynes spearheaded bi-partisan passage of the most sweeping consumer protection reforms of those industries in 25 years. His office also toughened its oversight of crematories and has initiated legal actions that resulted in monetary restitution to hundreds of defrauded funeral home customers. In addition, Hynes established a toll-free cemetery hotline and a special web page, created and distributed a consumer video, advocated legislation that doubled the plot allowance benefit for veteran burials, and sponsored the cleanup of dozens of neglected cemeteries across the state.
Hynes has re-energized the Local Government Division of his office. Under his administration, local government financial reporting compliance has increased from 65 percent to 95 percent. In addition, his office has provided statewide training and assistance to thousands of local government officials, which resulted in initiatives that saved local taxpayers more than $1 million.

Hynes has further demonstrated his commitment to openness and accountability by providing extensive information on his web site, both in English and Spanish, about the workings of state government. His Public Accountability Project has become an established reporting system that offers a comprehensive view of what each government program is intended to accomplish and whether it has met its goals.

During his tenure, Hynes has expanded the state’s commercial direct deposit program, encouraging state vendors to receive their payments electronically, thereby saving money and increasing efficiency. Under Hynes’ leadership, participation in the direct deposit program has grown substantially. He has also put sharper teeth into the state’s debt collection efforts, more than doubling the monies collected through the Comptroller’s offset system.

Before taking office, Hynes was a health care attorney for a Chicago law firm. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1990 with a degree in economics and computer applications, and earned a J.D. with Honors in 1993 from the Loyola University School of Law. Hynes is active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. A native of Chicago, he married Christina Kerger, M.D., in June, 1999. They have a son, Charlie, and twins, Finley and Liam.