* From the twitters…

* Here’s the letter, which is packed full of snark from the Snark Prince himself…

Dear Representative Bradley:

Thank you for your recent letter of June 26, 2015. I am pleased to respond.

On June 23, 2015, you convened a hearing of the House Revenue Committee purportedly to review information regarding administration personnel compensation. However, when the hearing convened, you stated that the information in question was not yet available. Following a lengthy recess, a hastily constructed memorandum emerged filled with glaring errors and factual inaccuracies. Specifically, your June 23, 2015 memorandum:

* named Governor’s Office employees who no longer work in the Office of the Governor;
* listed incorrect annual compensation levels for other employees; and
* featured a table in the center of the first page claiming 35 minus 28 equaled 13.

As you may know, 35 minus 28 equals 7. Given your support for a budget out of balance by $4 billion, finding errors in basic arithmetic is not a great surprise.

After receiving your most recent letter, we conducted a review of total personnel compensation costs across all agencies under our Administration’s control. In comparing state payroll records from February through May 2014 to February through May 2015, we found that Governor Rauner spent $4 million less than Governor Quinn on compensation. This data is publicly available through the Illinois Comptroller’s website. Additionally, I would remind you that Governor Rauner does not take a salary or a pension.

While Governor Rauner has taken unprecedented steps to reduce costs, including cutting his own office budget by 10%, you and your colleagues are scheduled to receive an automatic pay raise tomorrow. As you are aware, HB 4225 would prevent legislators’ automatic cost-of-living adjustment from taking effect in Fiscal Year 2016. Without this legislation, you will get an automatic pay raise - and because you voted for and helped enact SB 274 last year, you are guaranteed to be paid even without a state budget. Rather than holding more sham hearings and issuing poorly constructed memorandums, we urge you to bring HB 4225 to the floor without delay.

As always, our Administration stands ready to negotiate in good faith with legislative leaders to reach a bipartisan agreement on Governor Rauner’s compromise proposals. I urge you to come back to the negotiating table so that, together, we can Turnaround Illinois.

With warmest personal regards,

Richard A. Goldberg
Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs

* Video…