* AP…

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn won a temporary halt on paying state employee raises that were due earlier this month.

Cook County Circuit Judge Richard Billik granted Quinn’s request Friday to hold off paying the 2 percent raise. An arbitrator ruled earlier this week that Quinn had to pay.

Another hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

* Tribune…

Attorneys for both sides will return to court next week to determine a schedule moving forward. The union has filed a separate lawsuit with a federal court in Springfield seeking to force Quinn to pay the raises.

“Funding these raises would force the disruption of core services for the people of Illinois, including children, the elderly and those with special needs,” Quinn’s office said in a statement Friday afternoon. “Illinois’ taxpayers have already paid for more than $280 million in raises under the current labor contract. We cannot afford $75 million in additional pay raises this year.”

But union officials argue Quinn can honor the raises and ask lawmakers for more money down the road, noting Quinn’s office acknowledges in court filings that even without the raises, many of the agencies impacted won’t have enough money to operate for the full budget year.