Bigger payday delayed? Lawmakers salary bump might not happen ... yet

SPRINGFIELD - As lawmakers ponder giving themselves pay raises, the state official who writes the checks said he won't increase them unless legislators also come up with the money.

"We cannot implement the pay raises without an appropriation. But more importantly, I am of the opinion that this is no time for pay raises," Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes said in a statement sent to media outlets Monday.

At the same time, questions have arisen about exactly when a deadline for rejecting those raises expires. The recommendation for nearly 12-percent boosts for lawmakers and top state officials was delivered this spring and the countdown began.

If lawmakers don't act within 30 Capitol session days, the raises are automatic.

With the raises, lawmakers would be making $73,000 to $100,000 a year. Gov. Rod Blagojevich would see his pay climb by more than $20,000 to $192,000 a year.

The House already voted to turn down the increases. But state law requires the House and Senate take the same action.

The Senate has yet to act, and it was widely believed the 30-day deadline would expire this week when Blagojevich ordered lawmakers back to the Capitol for two days.

But those two days are for limited "special sessions." Tuesday's session is for education funding. Wednesday's session deals with state-sponsored construction spending.

That means the Senate could put off the pay raise issue until its next regular session days, which don't come until after the November elections.

State Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, has led the opposition to the raises. She said the focus on the 30-day deadline and special sessions misses the point.

"It's like the hanging chad issue," Garrett said. "I think that's just a way to distract us from the real issue."

Garrett said she remains optimistic that a vote on the raises will be allowed this week and the Senate will vote to reject them.