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Pritzker won’t take the populist bait on legislative pay raises
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller * Since their last pay raise, Illinois lawmakers have had to twice endure actions by statewide elected officials to halt their paychecks. Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed legislator pay out of the budget in June of 2013, an action overturned by a judge in September of that year. And then in April of 2016, during the budget impasse and an election campaign, appointed Comptroller Leslie Munger announced that she would no longer issue paychecks to legislators. Those checks were finally released in March of 2017 after a judicial ruling. * And now, after all that and not receiving a single pay raise since 2008, some folks are complaining about the legislative pay increase in next fiscal year’s budget. From Pritzker’s post-session press conference Sunday…
* Pritzker was asked today if he would veto out the raises included in the budget…
The usual suspects will howl and moan and rend their garments about this, but such is life. Sometimes you just gotta take the heat because a deal is a deal. We’ve had three anti-Springfield governors in a row, so we’ve grown accustomed to leaders who play to the galleries at the expense of the legislature. Those days appear to be over - at least for now.
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- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:18 pm:
Good on Pritzker to keep his word. No raises for 11 years is too long. They were elected by their districts, whether we like it or not.
- The Dude - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:18 pm:
I think whatever percentage they increase their salary should be statewide for all state employees.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:19 pm:
===all state employees===
Would you have taken no pay raise for 11 years and no paychecks at all for months on end?
Careful what you wish for, bub.
- Montrose - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:19 pm:
Why do folks think it is awful for legislators to get a pay raise? Yes, there are many who take outside income. There are also many who do not. A $1600 increase after 11 years is pretty darn reasonable.
I know it is an easy talking point to scream about our overpaid elected officials, but the reality is that the vast majority are working countless hours to only get yelled at regardless of the decision they make. There are bigger things to worry about.
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:24 pm:
I would say that “refusing to take the bait” is a strategy that has served Pritzker pretty well so far.
They call it “bait” because there is a hook in there somewhere, after all.
Rauner of course was always chumming the waters.
Quinn lacked any forethought.
And Blago relished the attention.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:29 pm:
There’s enough heat to go around for everyone. Our legislature pays better than most. Historically, they have met more than most. It’s a big state geographically that requires a lot of them to spend a lot of time getting to and from work.
If you have to take some banging every 11 years, it’s what you do.
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:32 pm:
Good for him.
Plus, as a practical matter it’s not worth the headache to hold up a $40 Billion budget and have everyone come back to vote to concur in the amendatory veto over 177 X 1,600 = $283,200
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:34 pm:
Oops, I think I confused reduction veto and amendatory veto
- Pick a Name - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:35 pm:
Well, we will see what the tone is when the tab comes due for all this spending and the revenue forecasts were off.
Ya just know it is going to happen.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:38 pm:
The heat comes with the gig. Pritzker doesn’t seem rattled.
If you can’t take a hit like this, The Big Chair is not for you.
–Reporter: This is all people will be talking about, though. This is all taxpayers will say, they gave themselves a pay raise.–
“Everyone thinks like I do. Please, acknowledge, everyone thinks like me. I speak for everyone. I couldn’t stand to have a thought on my own…..”
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:39 pm:
===Ya just know it is going to happen===
Yeah. Projected revenue was $1.5 billion too low in April.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:41 pm:
Probably best to leave the legislator’s pay increase alone; it is a pittance in terms of the overall State budget. Doesn’t hurt to build up a bit of Goodwill with the GA; JB is going to be asking the Legislature for some heavy lifting the next couple of years on school funding, property taxes, and pension funding.
- What's in a name? - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:42 pm:
Could it be that we have the semblance of a working government? I, for one hope all of the nay saying idiocy of the last 12 years becomes unfashionable sooner than later.
With so much legislation there will no doubt be things that need to tweaked or outright fixed. Wouldn’t it be nice if the reasonable folks who got this done also made the necessary adjustments. I mean, it could happen.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:43 pm:
From a couple of days of tavern-talk experience, “all people are talking about” in relation to Springfield is weed and gambling.
Heck, not a word on beer or smoke tax bumps. At taverns.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:44 pm:
=== not a word on beer or smoke tax bumps===
They didn’t do the beer tax hike.
- State worker with an MBA - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:49 pm:
As a non union state employee who has gone 7 years without a pay increase I do not feel sorry for them at all
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:50 pm:
Good governors look at tough situations and make them times to triumph,
“Tough questions” ain’t that heavy lift, especially if that governor takes those questions head on.
Governor Pritzker has proven quite a bit in 5+ months.
===Ya just know it is going to happen.===
I know, “you know”, LOL
Owning yourself, aren’t ya?
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:54 pm:
Remember when Governor Rauner promised to “take the arrows” for some tough choices?
For future reference, this is what that looks like.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:58 pm:
–They didn’t do the beer tax hike–
Sorry, my bad. Thanks for the correction.
- James - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 2:58 pm:
They earned their pay raises this session.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:00 pm:
Why not just stand up and take a vote instead of all the subterfuge and don’t look at me’s.
Only New York, California, Michigan and Pennsylvania make more and they have funded their pensions much better than we have.
On average, Illinois legislators contribute $127,000 to receive $2.1 million in lifetime pension benefits.
No wonder they won’t vote to reform pensions
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:01 pm:
===Why not just stand up and take a vote===
They did. The raises are appropriated in the budget.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:03 pm:
Eh, they also put the missing back pay in the budget for state employees. If they hadn’t raised their own salaries, these same people would be harping on that issue instead (although I can’t think of at least 4 frequent commenters at capfax who are never going to shut up about either). May as well do them both in an off-year, get it out of the way.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:03 pm:
===No wonder they won’t vote to reform pensions===
Show the language of a bill, constitutional, and also meets the constitutionality of the contract clause.
You know this… for the 9,852nd time… the money is owed.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:15 pm:
If you want people to run for the legislature that are teachers, fire fighters, laborers, self-employed/small business owners etc, then you need to have a decent pay scale. If you only want the wealthy, farmers and trial lawyers in the GA, I can see why you would not like this.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:16 pm:
@ 3:00 pm:=No wonder they won’t vote to reform pensions=
They voted to reform pensions in 2010. It was called Tier 2. You should know this.
- d. p. gumby - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:17 pm:
I think you meant “rend” their garments, not “render”
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:18 pm:
Thanks, gumby. Still recovering from session.
- AnonymousOne - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:18 pm:
They did reform pensions. Tier 2. For heavens sakes how many times does everyone have to be educated about this?
Now, if by pension reform, you mean pension elimination? Keep dreaming. Read the constitution.
- Flyer - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:34 pm:
The General Assembly members, after 11 years without a raise. It comes out to about $150 per year. They deserve it.
- Across the Stree - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:37 pm:
The pay raise should stand without question. Being a legislator is not a volunteer position. If you don’t like your legislator; vote him or her out. Stop the negativity! Get to know your legislators!
- Pick a Name - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:43 pm:
Let’s see, $1.5 billion against a pension obligation of $135 billion(some projections have it over $200 billion) and a whopper obligation for health insurance……and several billion in bills to be paid…
When you give out ponies to everyone on credit and you are hoping to hit the big lottery to pay for them, well we will see. Especially if a recession hits in the next couple of years.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:46 pm:
==As a non union state employee who has gone 7 years without a pay increase I do not feel sorry for them at all==
Did you spend or raise 100 grand to get 2 years of a secure income that might or might not be paid depending on the whim of others?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:51 pm:
A guy, there’s no talking to people like that.
- Nick - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 3:57 pm:
Honestly given literally everything else that has been going on I don’t think the raises are going to get *that* much attention. And Pritzker is smart (and good) for not throwing any extra fuel on the fire by trying to act like a fake populist over $1,600.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 4:25 pm:
–When you give out ponies to everyone on credit and you are hoping to hit the big lottery to pay for them, well we will see. Especially if a recession hits in the next couple of years.–
This, from the guy who thinks the federales tax cut that doubled the federal budget deficit and makes for a trillion dollars in borrowing for annual operating costs is the bee’s knees.
Save your usual talking points. The economy was already growing and trending up, unemployment was already low and going lower, before the budget-busing tax cuts and spending increases.
What’s the plan on the federal level for the next recession? You’ve already done the stimulus, when it wasn’t needed.
- Northside Dude - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 4:48 pm:
It wasn’t only the members of the General Assembly who went without a COLA for all these years. Anyone appointed by the Governor received no COLA. For example, arbitrators and commissioners at the Workers’ Compensation Commission have had their pay frozen since 2010.
- SIUEalum - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 4:56 pm:
Legislators need to make enough so it’s not only the wealthy who can afford to serve.
- Steve - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 5:32 pm:
OW
Pensions might not be able to be cut but… nothing prevents them from not be indexed to inflation or taxed.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 5:43 pm:
===…nothing prevents them from not be indexed to inflation or taxed.===
If nothing prevents, then why haven’t they?
Oh… this …
===The pension clause, “once a person commences to work and becomes a member of a public retirement system, any subsequent changes to the Pension Code that would diminish the benefits conferred by membership in the retirement system cannot be applied to that person===
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 5:44 pm:
- Steve -
Also…
You want to tax retirement pensions, find your votes. Can’t just make it public pensions, so there’s that too.
- My New Handle - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 6:53 pm:
Most legislators have not been in office for 11 years. Seems like that 11 years without a raise meme is just for pity. And 67K base pay is better than many fulltime employees earn.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 7:13 pm:
== Pensions might not be able to be cut but… nothing prevents them from not be indexed to inflation or taxed. ==
The AAI (automatic annual increase) is part of the benefits protected by the pension clause. For Tier 1, it is a compounded 3%. For Tier 2, it is a variable percentage but effectively about 1.5% or less under most conditions. So you won’t be changing the ‘COLA’.
Yes, you can impose a income tax on retirement income. Get the votes for it. But recognize you can’t just tax government pensions, you will have to tax all pensions.
- Generic Drone - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 7:26 pm:
Uhm. Some state employees like myself have yet to recieve any backpay or longevity raise in my case. Im still frozen
- Pick a Name - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 7:51 pm:
Word, you should read the Wall Street Journal article, “Illinois does a Connecticut” I’ll give a quick review— WSJ blasts the legislature.
- Charlie Wheeler - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 7:59 pm:
Point of information re FY20 COLAs
Gov. Pritzker can’t block the scheduled COLAs for legislators, constitutional officers, and other officials by using a line item veto to delete the appropriated amount. Former Gov. Quinn tried something similar, but was rebuffed by the Illinois Supreme Court.
The increases are automatic under the Compensation Review Act, and thus the statute would have to be changed to block them. That was the intent of Senate Amendment 1 to HB 837, which stated those officials “whose annual compensation previously was recommended or determined by the Compensation Review Board, are prohibited from receiving and shall not receive any increase in compensation that would otherwise apply based on a cost of living adjustment… for or during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019.” The amended bill passed the Senate 58-0 on June 1, but a motion to non-concur was filed in the House and never called, so the bill remains in limbo.
Pritzker could use his amendatory veto power to add language barring COLAs to a pending substantive bill, but an AV would not be considered until the fall veto session, and unless and until the AV is either overridden or accepted, no part of the bill can become law.
The governor also could call a special session specifically for the General Assembly to consider HB 837 or similar legislation, but depending on its length, a special session could cost more than the COLAs.
Respectfully,
Charlie Wheeler
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 10:05 pm:
I want my state reps and state senators to receive cost of living adjustments.
I want the salary of a state rep or state senator to be enough to make it a viable career option for someone that doesn’t have to rely on outside income or business income.
This is a good thing — and the fact that so many lower and middle class folks rail against it shows a fundamental misunderstanding that paying a legislator dirt makes a legislator dependent on outside income.
The salary should be enough to afford to live and to maintain a middle class life style.
Legislator side gigs are an unfortunate avenue to provide influence away from the public’s true best interest.
- Ares - Tuesday, Jun 4, 19 @ 11:25 pm:
Agree with Candy Dogood. The State is a $40 billion / year enterprise. Would the previous Governor accept a $60k / year salary to set policy for such an enterprise?
Note that the ILGA took one year to accomplish on infrastructure what it took its Hoosier counterparts three years to accomplish.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 8:32 am:
–Word, you should read the Wall Street Journal article, “Illinois does a Connecticut” I’ll give a quick review— WSJ blasts the legislature.–
I do read the WSJ. Their daily news pages are consistently among the best in the English language.
Their editorials — like the one you referenced — have, for decades, even pre-Murdoch, been ill-informed, hysterical, ideological rants.
Their editorial writers obviously don’t read their news pages. It’s the model the tronc edit board follows.
- Pick a Name - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 8:41 am:
Word, I note you didn’t say inaccurate. If the words they printed are not accurate, please tell us how.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 8:53 am:
–If the words they printed are not accurate, please tell us how.–
Read it yourself, for comprehension this time.
“Accuracy” in this case is not applicable, as their entire premise is that something will happen in the future if and after a graduated income tax is implemented. Neither you or the WSJ harrumphers have crystal balls that can predict the actions of General Assembly members years from now.
But if you guys are really down on a graduated income tax system, perhaps the United States, Western democracies and Planet Earth are not for you. It’s pretty common on this rock.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 9:12 am:
Once again, Charlie Wheeler brings the facts. Pritzker couldn’t line-item the bump if he wanted to. He’ll get more points from GA members for taking the heat, anyway.
Corrections and clarifications from the Usual Suspects to come shortly, no doubt.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 9:14 am:
===If the words they printed are not accurate, please tell us how.===
LOL
Reading this, now “I know” you have little knowledge between an editorial and reporting.
Fox News is truly up your alley.
- Pick a Name - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 9:49 am:
Such substance Willy & Word. I ask a simple question and it goes unanswered, which is typical.
But you two love to throw out the barbs.
You would think the state of Illinois was a well oiled machine, cruising along with few issues. Take off the pom pons and cheerleader outfits.
And Willy, the US News latest ranking of UIUC is #13 in the nation.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 10:00 am:
===the US News latest ranking of UIUC is #13 in the nation.===
Full funding will do things like that, LOL
===You would think the state of Illinois was a well oiled machine, cruising along with few issues. Take off the pom pons and cheerleader outfits.===
No.
Knowing the difference between editorials and reporting is the difference you are having difficulty trying to make square.
You like editorials, and calling a former president “Barry”, you’re at the end of the bar, shaking your fist, you know more, seen more, “forgotten more”, you know, yet you can’t tell the difference between and editorial and reporting… you know more about the challenges of a university than the chancellor of that university, and still… you think you’re right.
We fed ya. Happy?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 10:03 am:
–I ask a simple question and it goes unanswered, which is typical.–
I answered your question. Make an effort and read harder if you believe you’re entitled to answers.
Your Chronic Victim schtick does not apply in this case.
- Pick a Name - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 10:31 am:
Willy, that was a good editorial.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 5, 19 @ 12:03 pm:
===that was a good editorial.===
It’s your chosen form to get information. Can’t imagine you not thinking it was good, lol
Good luck.