Governor asked to raze raises before cutting other programs

SPRINGFIELD -- If the governor needs to prune $1.5 billion from the budget, he should make sure bigger legislative paychecks are among the first items snipped, a group of Republican members said Thursday.

"How can we possibly allow the salaries of public officials to increase when families all across Illinois struggle to make ends meet?" the lawmakers said in a letter sent to the governor.

Among the Republican House members signing onto the letter were Romeoville's Brent Hassert, Elgin's Ruth Munson and Elmhurst's Dennis Reboletti.

Cost of living adjustments will increase lawmakers' base pay 3.8 percent to $67,800 from $65,300 with the new budget that would take effect July 1. They make thousands more running committees and serving in leadership posts. The governor's pay would increase to nearly $177,500 from nearly $171,000. There are similar increases for other state officials.

More Coverage The Full Report Letter to the governor

These increases are not part of double-digit raises that would take effect later unless lawmakers vote to reject them.

Messages left with the governor's budget office were not returned Thursday.

The nearly $59 billion state spending plan lawmakers approved last month is nearly $2 billion out of balance. Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced this week that he'll ax more than $1.5 billion in early July if lawmakers don't come up with the money to balance spending.

The governor's threatened cuts include a $6 million, 40-bed addition at the LaSalle Veterans' Home, $5 million in funding increases for the state's foster care parents, a 50-cent-per-hour pay raise for those caring for the developmentally disabled, and a combined $110 million in education cuts.

Meanwhile, Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes sent his own memo Thursday, warning that his office won't be able to pay for salaries or services after July 1 if there's no budget.

Hynes said a deal is needed by July 10 to avoid state payroll delays, but "I would remind everyone that the lack of an operating budget as of July 1 affects the issuance of tens of millions of dollars each and every day to state vendors and payees."