Local public workers salaries could go online soon

SPRINGFIELD — The salaries of local government workers could soon be posted online through a state transparency website after Gov. Pat Quinn signed the requirement into law Friday.

The law, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Jack Franks of Marengo and state Sen. Susan Garrett of Lake Forest, would require counties, townships and municipalities to send information to the state about employees’ names, titles, salaries and other information.

That information would then be posted on the same site used to share salaries of state workers — Accountability.Illinois.gov — as long as posting the information didn’t cost the state money.

Franks doesn’t think that’ll be a problem.

“I don’t think it’ll be an issue whatsoever,” Franks said. “The information is already there. All we’re asking them to do is share it.”

The onus for sharing and the accuracy of the information would be on the local governments.

Lawmakers approved the legislation earlier this year, but the new law doesn’t take effect until Jan. 1, so local taxpayers can’t go looking for the data quite yet.

Quinn’s office sent notice of his signature on a handful of bills Friday as the governor travels in Spain.