House approves skipping pay raise during budget fight
Members of the Illinois House voted Tuesday to block a pay raise for themselves and senators that has become a flashpoint in the state's budget stalemate.
The 101-1 vote would still need Senate approval before Gov. Bruce Rauner could sign it and stop the 2-percent cost-of-living increase that lawmakers are automatically due. If a raise takes effect, it would be their first pay increase in seven years.
State Rep. David McSweeney, a Barrington Hills Republican, said it would be "outrageous" for lawmakers to take a pay raise when the state can't pay many of its bills without a budget.
"What we should be doing is we should be in session around the clock," McSweeney said.
That vote followed a tense floor debate during which Republicans asked the bill's lead sponsor, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, why their own efforts months ago to block the raise were never voted on. Madigan said the raise is just a small piece of what he called a "historic struggle" between majority Democrats in the legislature and the new GOP governor.
"We've made a good-faith effort to meet the governor halfway. His response? 'I have to have my agenda, as is, no change. If I get it, I'll talk,'" Madigan said. "We are in an impasse."
A Rauner spokesman said the governor praised "those who showed leadership" with the vote and urged Senate President John Cullerton to act on the bill.
"We encourage President Cullerton to swiftly move this legislation to the governor's desk for his signature," spokesman Lance Trover said in an emailed statement. "Governor Rauner is ready to work with Speaker Madigan, (House Republican Leader Jim) Durkin and all members of the General Assembly to pass true structural reforms and a balanced budget."
Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said he has "deep reservations" about whether the state constitution allows lawmakers to block the automatic pay raise but will call a floor vote on the legislation sometime next week.
The state's government has not approved a budget for the fiscal year that started this month and is facing a deficit of up to $4 billion. The governor and the legislature have been deadlocked for weeks. Rauner vetoed a budget that didn't include enough money to cover expenses, insisting that lawmakers pass a plan friendlier to businesses.
The pay raise became wrapped up in the budget stalemate when Rauner criticized lawmakers for potentially taking more money while the state lacks a spending plan.
The pay increase set to take effect this month would boost the nearly $68,000 base legislative salary by almost $1,400. The bill also would freeze lawmaker mileage and per diem payments for the rest of the fiscal year.
Republicans supported the bill, and some were co-sponsors. But before the vote they were critical of Madigan and the Democrats for only now moving to block the raise.
"It's about time, actually. So I welcome the speaker's bill," said Rep. Ron Sandack, a Republican from Downers Grove, complaining that a Republican bill to do much the same thing was never allowed out of a committee for a vote. "For three weeks straight, those of us on this side of the aisle tried to do this very thing and were stopped."
Madigan said he decided to submit his own bill after learning recently that the raise would take effect even though it was not budgeted.
Rep. William Davis, a Democrat from Homewood, cast the lone vote against the bill. He called the issue a distraction from the "real conversation" he believes should happen about the state budget, but said being a representative is his only job.
"As a legislator I take what I do very seriously," the seven-term lawmaker said. "For me that's five days, six days, seven days a week."
• Daily Herald Political Editor Mike Riopell contributed to this report.