59 Comments - The Captain - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:37 am: Worse yet, what if they campaigned on it? The Comptroller’s office doesn’t do a lot more than pays bills so it’s a hard office to campaign for, there’s not a lot to talk about. An enterprising candidate could tie themselves to a popular issue by promising not to pay legislators until [popular issue] is resolved. - old pol - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:38 am: Ridiculous comparisons. The budget is the only legislation they must pass - everything else is optional. No dangerous precedent set by Munger here. - Former Insider - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:38 am: I don’t get paid unless I do my job. Kudos to Munger. - Langhorne - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:39 am: It is popular, but it is also coercive. She can pretend they are just taking their place in line, but if state employees are being paid, they should be paid. It seems she moved them from the employee line, to the vendor line. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:39 am: To that legislator… Well said! It’s amazing. Comptroller Leslie Munger, now, “reassessing”, get to… …arbitrarily… IF… that’s IF… you get paid. 1,000% accurate. I guess ignoring the constitution and extortion is now part and parcel of how Leslie Munger will run the Office of the Comptroller? I despised the move when Quinn did it, (look it up) I said it was savvy when there was NO budget. Now? What is the criteria, Comptroller Leslie Munger? I keep looking at a criteria. Rauner signed the stopgap. What’s the holdup? Is this one of those Lincolnshire Right to Work thingies that Leslie Munger supports? This has gone on way too far, and it’s overstepped the bounds. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:40 am: Exactly so. My spouse and I have both toyed with the idea of going into politics after the girls are out of the house. We do well but not well enough to go without a salary for a few months. And the extortion strategy of Munger is definitely not how to engage in good governance. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:44 am: I’ve notice that Republicans increasingly seem to be advocates of vigilante justice outside of the rule of law. - Juice - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:44 am: old pol, you realize that they passed the budget that the Governor requested them to pass, right? Does the Comptroller have her own super-secret budget that she would have preferred? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:46 am: I’ve heard of Cafeteria Constitutionalists, but to choose to blatently ignore the constitution and arbitrarily decide to pay legislators only when desired outcomes happen… A lack of respect for the constitution is at play here. The Office of the Comptroller “feels” the constitution is more of a guideline(?) “I’ll swore to support the state constitution… unless I can extort an outcome from legislators by withholding pay… ” Yikes. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:48 am: They have passed a few budgets actually. Not their fault that the Gov won’t play ball. - titan - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:48 am: I didn’t think what’s going on is a withholding of paychecks until X, Y or Z is passed. I thought it was placing the legislator pay on the a backlog delay like the other entities the state owes money to. If there was a proper budget with full revenues to cover it, there would be no delays to threaten them with, would there? - Just Chilling - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:51 am: The concept of the citizen-legislator is already almost comatose — actions like Munger’s will finish it off, to the detriment of open government. We are well along toward a politics dominated by the plutocrats, Munger is pushing us further down that path. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:52 am: ===If there was a proper budget with full revenues to cover it, there would be no delays to threaten them with, would there?=== The stopgap was passed. The governor asked for it. The Illinois constitution Article IV, Section 11 requires payment. What. Is. The. Holdup? What criteria is Leslie Munger refusing to deliver a continuing resolution of a constitutionally mandated payment? I can’t find what the criteria the Chief of Staff is “reassessing” - Jimmy CrackCorn - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:55 am: ==I don’t get paid unless I do my job. Kudos to Munger.== Except you have a boss. The Governor and Comptroller are not the legislators boss. In fact this thing calls the constitution makes sure that there is a separation of powers and the legislators are accountable to their constituents. - MikeMacD - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:55 am: Is this no longer the law? —– (25 ILCS 115/) General Assembly Compensation Act. (25 ILCS 115/1) (from Ch. 63, par. 14) … The compensation provided for in this Section to be paid per year to members of the General Assembly, including the additional sums payable per year to officers of the General Assembly shall be paid in 12 equal monthly installments. The first such installment is payable on January 31, 1977. All subsequent equal monthly installments are payable on the last working day of the month. … —– The last time the GA didn’t get paid was due to lack of appropriation which doesn’t apply today. - ILPundit - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:56 am: I really like Munger. I think she’s at her core a reasonable person who wants to do well. But she really missed an opportunity to brand herself as a JBT style Republican. Ever since Dawn Clark Netsch. the Comptroller has really been the constitutional officer who — if you will pardon the expression — would be willing to drop the proverbial poop in the punchbowl. We could have used Munger assuming the role JBT would likely have filled, telling everyone of both parties 1) cuts AND taxes were inevitable, and 2) tying budgets to toxic political issues for the majority legislators is stupid. - Jimmy CrackCorn - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:57 am: One other consequence if this goes on long-term, only rich people run for office. This is already disproportionately the case, but we will see less teachers, police, tradespeople taking the shot at public office if it will lead to financial ruin/uncertainty. - Matt Vernau - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:58 am: Well campers where is the lawsuit? Does this game connect to the unconstitutionality of paying staff? - Time Again - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:59 am: I think that comparison is more aptly applied to Rauner holding up the budget for his “turnaround agenda” than it is to Munger’s action — which is at least directly related to the budget. Still, Munger is on shaky legal ground here. If a legislator — (maybe one who is retiring,) has the guts to take her to court, they will win. Judges tend to be very protective of the separation of powers. Munger would probably love to be taken to court on this, even if she loses. More publicity for her campaign. - Jocko - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:04 am: Next she’ll start bringing the check cart to each legislator and feign handing it to them a couple times before allowing them to keep the envelope. - Norseman - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:04 am: To make it clear to all I oppose Munger and will be voting against her. I also don’t think she’s right to delay payment. That being said, the slippery slope argument is hard to make. We’re now faced with a horrendous fiscal situation (exacerbated by Munger’s benefactor) where people are not getting paid for months or over a year if you’re a group health provider. The public (rightly or wrongly) understands this point and has no sympathy for the Solons being asked to wait for their checks. Legislators can ask for redress, but they are too politically scared to do so. Even if one did, I’m not sure it’s a slam dunk that the courts would order a change. They could say that the legislators are being paid, they’re just being treated like other state vendors and asked to wait in line. However, an effort to withhold checks for a policy issue would result in more public dissent. For the gun control example, a pro-gun legislator would file a challenge is a heartbeat - most likely funded by ISRA. Without the cover of others being similarly situated and the necessary public statements made by the comptroller on the policy issue, I believe the courts would side with the lawmakers. - Juice - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:07 am: Time Again, not if the judge calls her an extortionist. Can’t see that coming off well in an ad. But even with a favorable ruling, I still don’t see a member of the GA doing it. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:10 am: What is Leslie Munger wanting to end the extortion… Or is there a fear to admit something has to happen for the constitutionally mandated act happens will fulfill the act of the extortion? What has to happen for the Office of the Comptroller to follow the constitution? Just let everyone know… If this is not a partisan “win-win” for the Republican Munger, I guess Munger likes to play politics with the constitution abc her oath? That’s fun. - Dr X - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:20 am: What a great set of ads for Munger. People think legislators are next to worthless and she can run ads flauntin’ her punishment for their behavior. “She stood up to greedy Chicago legislators and Madigan by withholdin’ their pay checks….” I can’t think of any idiot voter that wouldn’t bite on that. - Former Insider - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:29 am: Jimmy CrackCorn, maybe have the GA pass a law (in addition of the GA Compensation Act) where no Constitutional Officer can interfere? That would look really good without a budget passed… Munger takes action to encourage responsible government and legislators tremble. People like you are up in arms that she is doing this. Have you forgotten that Illinois is losing 1 resident every 5 minutes??? http://wqad.com/2015/12/24/census-bureau-one-person-leaves-illinois-every-5-minutes/ There will be no future for our kids. Correction, there will be a future for our kids but in other states. Wake up already. - Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:34 am: I’d bet on a legislator lawsuit on oh, about November 9, probably filed jointly by Madigan and Cullerton. As someone mentioned, before then could be politically beneficial to Munger. But there’s enough members who don’t have outside income and personal wealth that the leaders are likely hearing about and may have already committed to doing something then. As an aside, I’m not sure how anyone can argue that legislators should be paid like vendors. They are, in fact, state employees, with the full benefits and rights that go with that. - BK Bro - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:35 am: Illinois legislators are wasting their time by whining about not getting paid. Highly unlikely that anyone (on both sides) feels bad for reps and senators. They won’t find pity among the general populous, who blames them for an array of problems that the state now faces. - Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:37 am: And I also agree with the notion that continued actions like this endanger the idea of the citizen legislator. If you can’t afford to miss a paycheck, I’m not sure why you’d do it in the current morass. And I happen to think there are already way to many politicians who are able and willing to buy elections and issues. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:37 am: Shouldn’t the Attorney General file to have the Illinois constitution withheld? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:39 am: ===Have you forgotten that Illinois is losing 1 resident every 5 minutes??=== I’m not sure this is a solid Constitutional argument, but I hope it makes you feel just as good … like when you yell at fluffy clouds. lol ===Wake up already.=== Munger is ignoring the Illinois Constitution… - JustAnObservation - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:39 am: If these legislators are forced to borrow from their campaign funds, as some have done, that money is not available to defend their seats in the legislature. This will make Rauner’s job of going after them a whole lot easier. Rauner likes to spout about corruption in state government. Me thinks he doth protest too much. - HRC2016 - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:47 am: JBT would have never done anything like this. She would have been the voice of reason and told Rauner he was wrong. And to stop the BS> - HRC2016 - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 10:55 am: GOPRaunerites like Munger and Rauner do not need the paychecks, other legislators do need the paychecks to make ends meet. Being a legislator is not some part time thing, they are on call 24/7 for their constituents. Munger is overstepping her bounds as Comptroller and in the end will pay the price. For the life of me, I don’t and will never understand why some parts of the electorate think government workers (GA included) are evil do nothing employees. These are the same people who will vote for Trump. - The Fool On The Hill - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:01 am: It’s only fair if the Governor’s staff and Munger & her staff get in line like everybody else. - Sir Reel - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:06 am: OK, if State employees are paid on time even though the budget is short, why are legislators not paid on time because the budget is short? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:14 am: ===why are legislators not paid on time because the budget is short?=== The Constitution isn’t compelling the Comptroller’s Office. An agreed Stopgap isn’t compelling the Comptroller’s Office. The “we support state employees being paid” isn’t compelling the Comptroller’s Office. A political game IS compelling the Comptroller’s Office. Confusing. What hurdle to legislators need, even with Rauner signing the stopgap, to appease this extortion? Popular and Legal aren’t mutually exclusive. - titan - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:20 am: +++ - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 9:52 am: ===If there was a proper budget with full revenues to cover it, there would be no delays to threaten them with, would there?=== The stopgap was passed. The governor asked for it. The Illinois constitution Article IV, Section 11 requires payment. What. Is. The. Holdup? +++ The budget is spending authority … not money in the accounts to cover the spending. The stop gap budget is akin to having checks, but not having any money in the account. If the Comptroller wrote checks to everyone owed money, they would bounce. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:31 am: - titan - A very compelling argument. Besides Legislators and Constitutionals… What other state employees aren’t being paid? - Tasty Grouper - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:43 am: Sorry if I don’t have any tears for the legislators. If they would only pass a balanced spending plan, where revenues equalled spending, then the legislators would receive every paycheck on time. It’s pathetic these people are complaining because they’re just now starting to feel the effects of their serious inaction these last several years. This is not about the death penalty, abortion, or any other policy du jour. It’s about properly funding the government - the #1 responsibility of the legislative branch. If they can’t get that job done, they should suffer the same consequences as every one else. - Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:49 am: I highly doubt this will get challenged before the election. Legislators complaining about being paid late will not fly when the State still does not have a balanced budget passed and no reform of government our our business environment. Just like the complaining about the pay raise which was rescinded this will only make the legislators look more entitled - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:49 am: This whole thing reminds me of that State Farm commercial where the old man (Munger) has dollar on the end of fishing pole. “I got you a dollar” “Gotta be quicker” - ANON - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:50 am: Withholding pay is a sure fire way to make sure no middle class residents ever run for office again. There are legislators borrowing money from campaign accounts, driving UBER, and plenty more borrowing money that we just don’t know about. It seems that only the wealthy can stay afloat while being in office in IL. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 11:51 am: The pay raise was not based on the constitution. Pay IS based on the constitution. Big difference. - RNUG - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:01 pm: As -MikeMacD- cites above, the law is very clear about both the amount (equal across the year) and timing (last day of each month) of legislators’ pay. If someone were to file a suit, I would expect any judge to rule the Comptroller is in violation. The only question in my.mind is exactly what punishment the judge would order, comptempt finding or something stronger, like a fine or other punishment. And, while it would be politically perilous, the GA as a body could also take action for her failure to uphold the law and faithfully execute the duties of her office … - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:02 pm: ===If they would only pass a balanced spending plan, where revenues equalled spending, then the legislators would receive every paycheck on time.=== If they would end abortion… If they would vote against the 2nd Amendment… The Constitution has no criteria, the legislators get paid. Unless you’re against the constitution… ===It’s pathetic these people…=== “These people”… Wow… ===…are complaining because they’re just now starting to feel the effects of their serious inaction these last several years.=== No, Munger is purposely holding hostage now… for realky no reason except political… Defying the constitution. ===This is not about the death penalty, abortion, or any other policy du jour. It’s about properly funding the government…=== Not exactly. It’s the Comptroller’s Office ignoring the constitution to extort outcomes… no one seems to know what. That’s what’s at play. ===f they can’t get that job done, they should suffer the same consequences as every one else.=== Read Article IV, Section 11. Get back to us on what “criteria” you find in there. - Downstate hack - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:04 pm: Interesting arguments, but do legislators deserve to be paid before than thousands of vendors and service providers still waiting on checks? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:06 pm: ===Interesting arguments, but do legislators deserve to be paid before than thousands of vendors and service providers still waiting on checks?=== Do you think the state should follow the constitution or not? That’s the “compelling” argument. Again, extorting what outcomes? What does Munger want to feel “compelled” to be compliant with her oath and the constitution? - Just Me - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:12 pm: I don’t understand Hartwick’s rant at all. She is not holding back pay, she is putting the pay in the same line as all other bills. She isn’t waiting for a specific action to take place to write the checks; they are in the same order as all other checks waiting to be written. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:14 pm: === she is putting the pay in the same line as all other bills=== That’s disingenuous at best. All other payroll bills are being paid on time. - titan - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:25 pm: +++ - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:06 pm: ===Interesting arguments, but do legislators deserve to be paid before than thousands of vendors and service providers still waiting on checks?=== Do you think the state should follow the constitution or not? That’s the “compelling” argument. +++ If the constitution were being followed, we couldn’t be in this situation. The constitution requires a balanced budget. Because they’ve been fudging that for decades (both the GA and the Gov., current and past), there is a serious budget deficient. I do not have real strong feelings either way about this particular issue, but I don’t believe you’re operating at your usual level of fairness in this string of comments. The pay delay for the legislators is fairly directly tied to the unbalanced budget situation that lies at the feet of the GA and the Gov. It is does not involve unrelated issues like votes on abortion or gun control. And the GA is significantly different than the rest of the state employees (they are the ones responsible, along with the Gov, for the money mess we’re in). Not following the constitution on the states finances is problem that’s older than we are, it didn’t start and isn’t limited to the current legislator paycheck delays. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:35 pm: It’s not up to the Comptroller, constitutionally, to be the decider on budgets and their balance and those things together have zero, that’s nothing, to do with Article 4, Section 11. That’s the ball game. The rest is disingenuous bluster, unconstitutional bluster too. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:59 pm: I don’t think some of you truly understand the consequences of using paychecks as a political football. I get the “nobody cares because they are legislators” argument, but that’s a political view and not a rational view. Payroll should always be paid first. I don’t care who the payroll is for. - titan - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 1:00 pm: +++ - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 12:35 pm: It’s not up to the Comptroller, constitutionally, to be the decider on budgets and their balance and those things together have zero, that’s nothing, to do with Article 4, Section 11. That’s the ball game. The rest is disingenuous bluster, unconstitutional bluster too. +++ It is the Comptroller’s job to pay the bills. The legislature hasn’t given the Comptroller enough money to do so. Also unconstitutional. Maybe after 50+ years, the first time that the legislature experiences any negative consequences for the unbalanced budgets will help get the decades old problem resolved. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 1:00 pm: Not to mention you have an Executive Branch officer interfering with the Legislative Branch. That should always be a no-no. It was wrong when Pat Quinn attempted to not pay legislators and it’s wrong to hold up their paychecks. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 1:08 pm: - titan -, You have zero argument. Again, besides legislators and constitutionals, what other state workers aren’t getting paid, and what other state workers have their pay directed to BE paid as prescribed by the Constitution? - Demoralized - Well said. There’s a reason the constitution and not other branches get to “decide” compensation. Compensation is guaranteed. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 1:10 pm: ==legislature experiences any negative consequences== We have ways to do that. They are called elections. You want to use coercion and punishment by other means. That is wrong and totally goes against how our system of government should operate. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 1:12 pm: ===It is the Comptroller’s job to pay the bills.=== Article IV, Section 11. That’s it. It’s plain, it’s says it all. So, pay the bill, or Munger is breaking her own oath. “Simple” === It was wrong when Pat Quinn attempted to not pay legislators and it’s wrong to hold up their paycheck was.=== Can’t agree more, 100% spot on - Triple fat - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 1:28 pm: Maybe they can ask the Feds to get involved to investigate whether a violation of the RICO statute has been violated. Treble damages! Treble damages! - Triple fat - Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 1:29 pm: Committed! Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.