Illinois Legislators to get Raises After Pritzker Signs $1.7 Billion Spending Bill

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Illinois Legislators to get Raises After Pritzker Signs $1.7 Billion Spending Bill (Springfield, IL) (via The Center Square) — Hours after the Illinois Senate approved a bill to spend $1.7 billion of taxpayer resources and give themselves raises, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the measure into law.

Alongside giving pay raises to state legislators, constitutional officers including the governor and lieutenant governor and executive agency directors, the measure puts $850 million into the state’s Budget Stabilization Fund.

Comptroller Susana Mendoza praised the rainy day fund allocation.

“Responsible budgeting tells bond-rating agencies that Illinois remains a good investment and is worthy of more upgrades,” Mendoza said late Sunday after the measure passed the Senate. “As we brace for inflationary pressures, having emergency funds in reserve means Illinois leaders are being accountable fiscal stewards for taxpayers.”

The measure also gives hospitals statewide a one time $460 million payment to help with the increased cost of nursing, puts $400 million into the Large Business Attraction Fund and deposits $72 million into the Disaster Recovery Fund, among other spending of taxpayer resources.

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Opponents of the bill criticized the pay raises tucked into the legislation that increases the base salaries for state lawmakers to $85,000 as “tone deaf.”

“What other business allows its employees to vote for their own raises,” said state Sen. Brian Stewart, R-Freeport. “During a time when hard-working families are trying to keep pace with rising prices of food and fuel, higher taxes, and ongoing inflation, a number of lawmakers thought nothing of giving themselves an 18 percent pay increase, as well as providing the governor with hundreds of millions of dollars for pet projects.”

In the 102nd General Assembly that ends Jan. 10, base pay for legislators is $72,906 a year. Now with the governor’s approval, starting with the 103rd General Assembly that begins Jan. 11, the base pay for part-time state legislators will increase to $85,000.

The measure also increases 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 attorney general from $161,000 to $183,300. The comptroller and treasurer would each get their salaries increased from $140,000 to $160,900.

Illinois Legislators to get Raises After Pritzker Signs $1.7 Billion Spending Bill

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