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More on the pay raise

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Illinois

* As night owls already know, the governor signed the pay raise bill late last night. Here’s the Sun-Times take…

Gov. Blagojevich waited until after a big chunk of Illinois was in bed late Monday to authorize 9.6 percent pay increases for himself, lawmakers and other state officials.

Blagojevich’s move to sign legislation that had been on his desk for two months breaks a campaign pledge he made last year to veto any pay hikes. The state Constitution required him to act by midnight. […]

The administration had sought to use the political hot potato as leverage to help Blagojevich win passage of his health-insurance program and other priorities, but the strategy failed. That left many at the Capitol bracing for the possibility he would veto the pay increases to exact a measure of revenge against lawmakers who did a budgetary end run around him.

His signature buys peace among some Senate Democrats, whom Blagojevich couldn’t afford to lose as he contemplates how to revive his failed health-care initiative and restore spending priorities stripped from a budget proposal now on his desk.

* Post-Dispatch…

His decision to support the raises comes just days after the Legislature publicly humiliated Blagojevich with its overwhelming passage of a new state budget over his opposition, denying him the major new health care and infrastructure spending he’s been demanding for months.

Blagojevich was in the position to deprive those lawmakers of a roughly $5,500 a year raise, their first in six years. When he waited 60 days to take action on the pay-raise bill — the longest he could wait under Illinois’ constitution — there was widespread specuation that he would nix the pay hikes.

The announcement that he had instead signed the raise into law came at about 11:30 p.m. Monday, half an hour before the statutory midnight deadline for gubernatorial action. The announcement from Blagojevich’s office didn’t offer an explanation for his decision, and a spokesperson didn’t return repeated phone calls during the evening seeking comment. […]

Under the legislation, state lawmakers will see their base salaries rise to $63,143 annually, from their current $57,619. That’s in addition to extra pay given for leadership posts and committee assignments.

* The bill was signed so late that it was obviously past some newspaper deadlines. This appears to be an early version of a Daily Herald story…

With billions of dollars on the line for health care, school construction, services for the disabled and the people who care for them, Gov. Rod Blagojevich was refusing to take action Monday, pushing off his decision until the middle of the night.

Blagojevich had until midnight to act on a spending plan lawmakers sent him two months ago. Late Monday it was apparent that he would wait until nearly the last minute.

* But there is also this piece on the paper’s website…

Only days after blasting lawmakers for selfishly trying to increase the size of their paychecks while state needs floundered, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the raises into law as midnight approached Monday.

* And there was nothing in the Tribune this morning, including their little bloggy thing. And the early version of the AP story, which probably made it into most papers, didn’t have anything, either. Others, like the SJ-R, obviously tacked it on late.

* More budget stuff, compiled by Paul…

* Editorial: Sign the budget

* Editorial: Governor shouldn’t wait too long to act on budget

* Chicago Public Radio: Illinois Treasurer calls budget deadlock ‘embarrassing’

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 7:45 am

Comments

I think nearly all current Illinois legislators are incompetent and ethically challenged but of course we the people did vote them in. Their generally low quality is not Blago’s fault. Since there are no formal provisions for legislator raises linked to performance, that I know of, and if it’s true that they haven’t gotten a raise for some time, then I don’t find the decision to sign off on one unreasonable.

Don’t like it? Make ‘em work a little harder.
Advocate for what you believe in. Write letters. Call. Ask for a meeting. They’re not royalty.
Do you even know who your legislators are? Be honest now. Well, probably more people know on this blog but ask your friends and neighbors if they know who their state senator and rep are.
You’ll get a blank stare on one or both. And these legislators dispose of billions of dollars of our money. Not to mention the patronage jobs.

Meanwhile, maybe the legislators will be sufficiently intimidated by the uproar over the raises that they won’t dare raise our income and sales taxes this year. And if they don’t do it this year, well,they won’t dare do it in an election year. Then the primaries will be coming up. I think we might actually be safe until 2011!

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 8:03 am
Only in Ill-Noise can you get a pay raise for not getting your job done on time! Wish I could vote myself a raise, I’d be rich by now. $57,619 for a part-time job, that’s more than most make full-time!

Comment by Dead Head Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 8:22 am
As the Springfield paper noted, the bill had supplemental money for the ‘07 budget for long promised school grants. Guess what? The schools had to sign grant agreements by June 30 which now they cannot do. So everyone gets a 10% raise but the schools get nothing.
This from the “education Governor”
They described this as a “techicality.” This is no mere technicality. Everyone knew this was an ‘07 budget item and such an agreement had to be signed.

Comment by Political Observer Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 8:39 am
Priorities people! How can you question them for increasing their own pay. Any roll calls?

Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 8:58 am
This might be the first smart thing the Governor has done this year.

The Governor desperately needs to keep exisiting legislative allies and gain new ones if he ever hopes to recover from the “Humiliation of 2007″.

Vetoing out the pay raises would have substituted personal satisfaction for long-term political calculation. Which for the Governor, has generally been par for the course.

For once, the Governor has showns some indication that he can see more than one move ahead on the board. Perhaps grasshopper is learning?

Comment by A lobbyist Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 9:18 am
Look - they worked about 2 months last year.

They have already worked 7 1/2 this year, and will probably end up working 9 or 10 months total.

I think they put in enough extra hours to make me OK with it. I won’t say they have earned it, but they have sacrificed significant outside income to work full-time on their part-time job.

Comment by j Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 9:30 am
The gov broke a campaign promise? No? Really? C’mon? Those of you that voted for him, yet another opportunity for you to be proud.

Comment by Shocking!!! Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 9:35 am
Sign your pay increase Blago at least you keep Patty and the kids happy. The heck with the real budget and the state employees that Blago says he is trying to protect.

Comment by keepin up with jones Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 9:35 am
Since Patti’s main commission from her Real Estate “deals” is under inditement, the gov needs a raise to counter her loosing pay!.

Comment by He makes Ryan Look like a Saint Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 9:48 am
True to form, Cassandra lobs another grenade in her first sentence.

“Only in Ill-Noise can you get a pay raise for not getting your job done on time! Wish I could vote myself a raise, I’d be rich by now. $57,619 for a part-time job, that’s more than most make full-time! ”

Hey Dead, you can get a job to vote yourself a raise, run for the General Assembly. As for it being a part-time job, every Rep and Senator that has represented me in the last 30 years spends nearly every weekend of their lives at some festival, parade or feel good event. In addition, many of their evenings are spent at town board, city council and county board meetings. Their lunches are spent speaking to Kiwanis, Rotary, Chamber or Lions club luncheons.

Run, win and then see if you think it is a part-time job.

Finally, almost every Rep or Senator I have ever met are good and decent people who try their best for their constituents.

Comment by True Comparison Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 9:51 am
“every Rep and Senator that has represented me in the last 30 years spends nearly every weekend of their lives at some festival, parade or feel good event”

…so have I.

Comment by j Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 9:53 am
Good for the Governor to rise above everything.

Comment by Shirley Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:09 am
Lets be honest, being a legislator is a full time job. Considering the weekends and late nights they work, they put in the hours.

Second, any inference that they are overpaid and don’t do any work is contradicted by the fact less then 1/3 of them will be challenged in a given election cycle. If they are incompetent, over paid, and under worked, I suspect many more people would be applying for the job.

Comment by the patriot Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:10 am
To put the legislative pay raises in perspective, see this Rockford Register Star article from July (by Doug Finke of Gatehouse News Service):
http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070714/NEWS10/107140035/1004/NEWS

My favorite part: “Illinois’ part-time lawmakers were among the best paid in the nation even before they approved a recommendation to raise their salaries by 9.6 percent. And that’s without counting the thousands of dollars of additional income (called stipends) that 85 percent of Illinois legislators receive for serving in leadership positions and in top committee posts. Few other states provide those stipends to as many lawmakers as Illinois does.”

So get out your violins, shed a tear or two, and maybe take up a collection for our hard-working legislators.

Comment by It's Broken Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:17 am
How can you say our legislators are a part time position. Mine keeps a local office in the district and is there when he’s not in Springfield.

Comment by Toto Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:27 am
Hey Broken, it’s not too late to get a petition.

Comment by True Comparison Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:28 am
To True Comparison, sure they have to go to those feel-good events to keep up their visability and campaign donations. And, as It’s Broken poited out, they get extra money for serving in leadship (?) positions. The other thing no one has mentioned are the perks they get from lobsters. Anybody ever offer to take you out to dinner or buy you a drink for doing your job?

Comment by Dead Head Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:38 am
“Anybody ever offer to take you out to dinner or buy you a drink for doing your job?”

Yes they have, but they don’t have to report it to the State Board of Elections, when they do.

Comment by True Comparison Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:43 am
One other thing, you wonder why Illinois schools are under-funded? Well if they were fully funded and could get anything they needed, they might actually educate the voters and we can’t have that now, can we?

Comment by Dead Head Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:44 am
“One other thing, you wonder why Illinois schools are under-funded? Well if they were fully funded and could get anything they needed, they might actually educate the voters and we can’t have that now, can we?”

Huh?

Comment by True Comparison Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:46 am
How would you like to be a professional pinata?

The job entails that you hang around in mid air while mobs yell and beat you with sticks. Granny wants free dentures? WHACK! Mommy wants free day car for the kids? WHACK! Angry working guy is hobbled by taxes? WHACK!

The hours vary. Sometimes you just hang around, and other times you see a lot of action. This depends on what the top pinata says, and how much heat they feel.

The job requires you are full of goodies. With every whack of the wailing stick, you are expected to crap out a Tooties Roll or plastic jewelry. Fat kids will wail on your torso with the sting of a billion killer bees, just to see you crap out one of their favorite freebies.

Like all the folks wailing on you, they will be blind-folded. They can’t see you, don’t know much about you, but still want to beat the tar out of you just the same.

To save yourself, you spin. Spin on every swipe of the wailing stick. Spin when folks wonder why you are not crapping out the freebies. Spin so that other pinatas are turned to get their share of the beatings.

If you are lucky, you are a Republican pinata. This means you have already been broken open, the hordes have emptied you. After all, the freebies crapped out by Republican pinatas aren’t all that great - and usually come with strings attached.

But you Democratic pinatas - watch out! Although you have little to no freebies within you, the top pinatas have convinced the blind-folded fatties that you are stuffed full.

Expect the pay to be about $60,000. That should get you a nice 30 year old ranch in Mt. Vernon. I hear they have cable TV now - and there is a Red Lobster only about 20 miles away, or is it 50?

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:56 am
True Comparison, you were obviously educated here because you didn’t get the point of my post. If the average voter were smarter, they’d vote the bums out of office.

You also stated, “Yes they have, but they don’t have to report it to the State Board of Elections, when they do.” So what? What kind of job do you have anyway?

Comment by Dead Head Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 11:06 am
“House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has a policy that any Democrat re-elected to a third term …is entitled to chair a committee and receive the extra compensation that goes with it … Madigan’s policy is one reason the number of House committees ballooned from 40 in 2006 to 54 this year.”

Kind of gives you the impression that comittees were formed for the main purpose of giving the Chairperson a stipend.

Comment by It's Broken Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 11:11 am
Let’s not forget these gems from the governor’s spin doctors:

“The bill the comptroller is pressing the governor to sign contains a pay raise for all the state’s elected officials, including the comptroller,” Rebecca Rausch, a spokeswoman for Blagojevich, responded in an e-mail. “It was added quietly and passed in the middle of the night on the backs of death benefits for Gold Star families.

Can death benefits have backs? Anyway…

“Frankly, the comptroller’s energies would be better used making sure state employees get paid on time rather than lobbying for his own pay raise,” Rausch added.

As opposed to being the one who signs the bill granting yourself a pay raise, as the governor did. Like Hynes said, the governor could have vetoed the objectionable portions of the bill if he wanted to.

Comment by Romney's Mitt Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 11:23 am
Look, no one twists the arms of those who run for office to do so.
But the voters deserve a little honesty from those elected. The system gives them pay raises from a non-elected board UNLESS they reject it. Most of us wish it were that way. I may agree that they deserve it, but let them explain it and vote for it instead of getting it by default.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, playing games with this which cuts funds promised to schools years ago by this very Governor is shameful.

Comment by Political Observer Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 11:31 am
So the Gov. broke a campaign promise to veto pay raises for elected officials. What next? Will he break his campaign promise to veto an income tax hike so that revenue will be available for schools and health care?

Comment by Just Asking Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 12:36 pm
Let’s see if I understand this. Elected officials, agency heads, etc get big raise - check. Bargaining unit employees get yet another raise - check. MC employees get squat - check.

Comment by Looking for My Raise Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 1:11 pm
Rich:
What’s the scoop on the 1:30 meeting/announcement by the Gov and Jones…???

Comment by Siyotanka Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 1:14 pm
Anyone who doubts that the vast majority of members of the Illinois GA are good, sincere, competent people who earn their salaries just doesn’t have a clue.

Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 1:15 pm
I am worried that the gov may have succumbed to chronic writers’ cramp after last night’s signing marathon - it may be two months before he recovers. Guess that will kill the electric rate relief deal, yet again costing ratepayers/taxpayers millions MORE. Not to mention that 1400 page complicated budget bill.

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 1:17 pm
Had the governor signed the bill when it was originally sent to him, schools could have gotten some much needed money. Now, it is only the Pols who benefit. Timing is everything.

Comment by Too Late Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 1:39 pm
Any word on the Gov and the Senate President’s 1:30 press conference discussing the budget?

Comment by Anon1 Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 1:45 pm
Sure, they deserve 9.6% pay raise. They got their work done on time and I am sure some of them turned back in their per diem and extra expense checks for working 15 min per day most of the summer. Not only that but each of the state union contracts will start negotiations for next contract and we just set a nice precedent…9.6%.

Comment by North of I-80 Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 1:54 pm
This just in…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich will veto $500 million in “pork” from the fiscal year 2008 budget passed last week by the General Assembly and use that savings to expand health care to help 500,000 people.

The governor said he will use his “executive authority” to institue programs that would expand the Family Care program, provide up to $1,000 grants to families who can’t afford to buy health insurance, and expand breast cancer screening programs. The inititiatives would help a total of 500,000 people, he said.

The governor was flanked by Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, who said he agrees with Blagojevich’s plans and won’t call any veto override motion in the Senate. The formal veto will be filed later this week, Blagojevich said.

“While the Fiscal Year 2008 budget lawmakers passed last week includes a major boost in funding for education – something we all, as Democratic leaders, have advocated for – the budget leaves some important business unfinished,” the governor said in a prepared statement.

“I will do what I can, through executive authority, to take care of some of the most pressing needs that were left out of the budget. The first step will be to expand eligibility for healthcare programs that are already in place so that half a million Illinoisans will finally have access to healthcare.

“And I will veto over $500 million in pork and other non-essential spending so this budget better reflects the priorities and needs of the people of Illinois.”

Health care steps announced by the governor include:

*Providing breast and cervical cancer screening for Every uninsured woman in Illinois.

*Changing eligibility limits for the FamilyCare program to help more uninsured parents get access to health coverage at affordable rates.

The state also will make sure children in the All Kids program with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health insurance up to age 21.

*Families struggling with health insurance premiums will be able to apply for yearly subsidies worth 20% of their annual premiums, up to $1,000.

The Governor’s veto will be filed later this week.

Comment by Siyotanka Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 2:09 pm
NorthI80
But they didn’t do anything, it was the Compensation review Committee’s fault!
LOL

Comment by It's Broken Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 2:10 pm
Steve–

Sincere maybe. But not competent. Meaning well doesn’t equal performing well.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 2:21 pm
Perhaps he should use his “executive authority” to redirect some of that “pork” project money to pay for the school construction grant funding he botched last night when taking 59 and 23.5/24ths days to sign the bill.

Comment by Anonymundo Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 2:36 pm
- Siyotanka -
So he redirects 500 million and we save 6 to 7 Billion? Seems he could have done that last Spring and saved a lot of embarrassment for himself. And Emil’s gonna help save his bacon. Priceless, just priceless. Boy, I guess he showed us!

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 2:47 pm
NO. He’s going to take 500 mil to start the funding on some new programs he will pull out of his you-know-what. Then next year it will be the responsibility of the GA to fund the 300 or 400% increase in funding for these new programs AND Madigan will have to find a way to put his 500 mil in “pork” back in the funding somewhere. Hmmm, who’s gonna pay for all this again?

Comment by Capitalist Pig Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 2:54 pm
Well, from a PR, “save-face” standpoint, this was probably a smart decision by the Gov. What are people’s thoughts on Madigan’s next move? If he makes a motion to override the veto, then he becomes the bad guy who’s holding up the budget (well, if he has a veto-proof majority, that is). On the other hand, I can’t imagine him agreeing to this deal between Blago and Jones.

Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 2:59 pm
Madagin will honor his agreement to override gov’s amendatory vetoes. Guess we’ll have to wait to see if Emil is an honorable man who will honor his agreements. Not inclined to hold my breath.

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:02 pm
Rather clever, I’d say. Somebody in the back room at the guv’s office is at least creative.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:04 pm
Emil said in the press confrence he will NOT call for an override in the Senate. Emil, credibility, out the window.

Comment by Moderate Repub Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:05 pm
Emil may not “support” the idea of an override, but I can’t see him surviving the incredible heat he will get to at least call the amendatory vetoed budget bill for a vote by the membership. I’m not sure he has a choice. Rich?

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:10 pm
From what I understand, based on what was in the newspapers late last week, the member initiative/”pork” projects total only $200 to $250 million. That means that even if every single “pork” project is vetoed, $250 to $300 million still has to be cut elsewhere. Any guesses where that might come from?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:18 pm
“Pork” isn’t exactly bad. Look in the budget Gov - these projects are paying for libraries, school construction projects, fire and police equipment, bridges etc. Emil is a joke to join with him. He has lost all credibility - if he even had any to begin with.

Comment by BLAH Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:20 pm
“Pork” isn’t exactly bad. Look in the budget Gov - these projects are paying for libraries, school construction projects, fire and police equipment, bridges etc.

Will the Chicago State funding be vetoed as well??

Emil is a joke to join with him. He has lost all credibility - if he even had any to begin with.

Comment by BLAH Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:20 pm
Whoops - forgot to hit the stop icon.

Comment by BLAH Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:22 pm
Anonymous @ 3:18 - he said he would veto pork AND “other non-essential spending” - but he’s being smart not to identify what that non-essential spending is, lest the groups/programs being whacked come out of the woodwork and start screaming.

Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:39 pm
Anonymous 3:18 - oops, guess my last post didn’t really answer your question. I don’t have a clue where he would cut. Maybe higher ed, governors and many GA members (except those with colleges/universities in their districts) always seem to look there to cut a big chunk of money.

Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 3:42 pm