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Lawmakers spar over their own pay while workers' pay in limbo

Two suburban Republican lawmakers say they won't take a paycheck if state workers miss theirs later this month.

But other questions about whose salaries will get paid are still up in the air as Illinois moves into financial limbo with no budget in place.

The midmonth payroll for many state workers looms as a standoff continues in Springfield. Illinois now doesn't have the legal authority to pay new bills. But Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's office argues the state can pay employees even without a spending plan.

On Wednesday, Rauner used his veto powers to eliminate lawmakers' pay raises for the coming year.

State Rep. David Harris, an Arlington Heights Republican, gave a letter Wednesday to Comptroller Leslie Munger of Lincolnshire asking her to pull him out of the state's direct deposit system and not mail him a paper paycheck if state workers don't get paid.

"Legislators are state employees, and I believe that it is inappropriate for legislators to receive their salaries if other state employees are not receiving theirs," the letter says.

Later, state Rep. David McSweeney, a Barrington Hills Republican, said he followed Harris' lead.

Lawmakers are set to be paid at the end of July, and it's unclear how long the budget impasse will last.

Because of a state law inspired by former Gov. Pat Quinn's attempt to strip lawmakers' pay in 2013, they're set to get paid whether or not there's a budget.

Harris, state Rep. Elaine Nekritz of Northbrook and a bipartisan collection of lawmakers have publicly said they shouldn't be paid if state employees aren't. But that move didn't carry legal weight, so lawmakers have to actively opt out of getting paychecks if they don't want one.

Meanwhile, as lawmakers continue to meet to talk about a potential budget deal, they won't be getting their usual $111-a-day expense checks nor mileage reimbursements for their trips to the Capitol.

They don't get the payments for regular overtime sessions anyway, and Rauner's veto froze such payments as well.

The House is next set to meet next week, and the Senate returns the week after that.

State government shutdown begins; 1-month budget on table

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