Illinois legislators approve $85K salary for lawmakers in $1.7 billion spending bill

(The Middle Sq.) – Throughout late evening session over the weekend, Illinois lawmakers accepted giving legislators, statewide officers and govt company workers pay raises, amid greater than $1.7 billion of different spending of tax assets.

Simply earlier than 9 p.m. Friday, the Illinois Home accepted an modification to Senate Invoice 1720. The Senate accepted the measure late Sunday evening.

Alongside giving pay raises to state legislators, constitutional officers and govt company administrators, the measure places $850 million into the state’s Price range Stabilization Fund referred to as the wet day fund, provides hospitals statewide a one time $460 million fee to assist with the elevated value of nursing, places $400 million into the Massive Enterprise Attraction Fund and deposits $72 million into the Catastrophe Restoration Fund, amongst different issues.

“100 and seventy-four pages on a Friday evening, the audacity of what we’re doing,” state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, mentioned in opposition. “Pay enhance, Christmas in January for legislators.”

Play Video

State Sens. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, and Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, debate a measure to provide lawmakers a pay increase. 

BlueRoomStream

State Sens. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, and Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, debate a measure to provide lawmakers a pay increase.

Within the 102nd Normal Meeting that ends Jan. 10, base pay for legislators is $72,906 a 12 months. Legislative leaders get further stipends starting from committee chairman and minority spokesman receiving a further $11,098 to the Senate president and Home speaker getting a further $29,530 a 12 months. If accepted by the governor, beginning with the 103rd Normal Meeting that begins Jan. 11, the bottom pay for part-time state legislators will enhance to $85,000.

The measure additionally will increase the salaries of the governor from $181,670 to $205,700, the lieutenant governor from $140,000 to $160,900, the secretary of state from $161,500 to $183,300, and the lawyer normal from $161,000 to $183,300. The comptroller and treasurer would every get their salaries elevated from $140,000 to $160,900.

Batinick mentioned the invoice has actually not seen the sunshine of day.

“It is a Springfield setup,” he mentioned. “You might assume that the general public is not going to note, plainly we’re doing our greatest to make it occur that approach, however they may discover.”

Home Majority Chief Greg Harris, D-Chicago, mentioned the measure is nice for the state.

“We’re placing apart $400 million to be aggressive with different states in attracting excessive tech jobs and employers to our state, we’re paying $460 million to maintain our hospital programs afloat and we’re placing $850 million in its wet day fund,” Harris mentioned.

Harris went on to say the spending stabilizes the state’s funds and will increase pension funds, however it additionally modifies state insurance policies to assist households “by ensuring that the state takes its hand out of households pockets and sending all baby help funds on to the kids.”

Within the Senate Sunday, state Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, echoed Harris and defended pay raises for legislators.

“It makes certain that we spend money on ensuring that not everybody who’s a millionaire or a billionaire or rich can afford to serve,” Sims mentioned. “Let’s cease enjoying politics.”

Earlier than passage, state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, criticized the pay raises as unfair to working Illinoisans.

“Academics, truck drivers, waitresses … exit to the safety guards proper now who’re defending us and inform them that you simply’re price $85,000 and ask them what they assume. Please do this,” Bailey mentioned.

The measure can now be cued up for the governor’s desk for his approval.