State candidates wary of accepting pay raises

State senate and representative candidates in Lake County are wary of accepting future pay raises and cost of living increases, given the current sagging economy. A nearly 12 percent pay raise for lawmakers and other leading state officials was rejected in August. The Illinois Senate voted 47-0 to decline the raises, which were on the verge of taking effect automatically had the Senate not voted them down.

Because many of their constituents have lost their jobs, endured pay cuts or lost money in their 401ks, legislative office seekers say now isn't the time to boost their salaries.

In advance of the Nov. 4 general election, the Daily Herald asked the candidates whether they would vote against a future salary increase.

State Senate District 26:

Both candidates running for the open seat in Senate District 26 say they are against cost-of-living increases or base pay boosts.

Dan Duffy, 42, a Lake Barrington-area Republican, said the state constitution was set up for positions such as state senator to be a part-time job. If anything, he said, pay increases should be by merit similar to the private sector.

"Right now, the legislators down there should have a pay reduction, not a pay increase," Duffy said.

Gentes, 49, mayor of Round Lake, said it would be especially inappropriate for lawmakers to seek higher pay in a poor economy.

"The average Illinoisan is suffering," said Gentes, a Democrat.

District 26 spans from Libertyville Township in Lake County west to Nunda, McHenry and Dorr townships in McHenry County and part of Palatine Township in Cook County. Gentes and Duffy want to fill the post held by retiring Republican state Sen. William Peterson of Long Grove.

State Senate District 30:

Democratic state Sen. Terry Link says though he's voted not to accept legislative pay raises and cost of living increases due to harsh economic times in the past, he is not entirely opposed to them now. His Republican challenger Keith Gray says he would not accept any raises until the state budget is balanced.

"I would have to look at what the situation was year-to-year because I do this full time," said Link, 61, a Waukegan Democrat who leads the party's Lake County wing and is the Senate majority caucus chairman.

Link said he agrees with the concept of an independent compensation board determining the percentage of any increases, but added, the current system needs reform.

"I like what has been proposed, that if we're going to vote on this, what we would do is both chambers have to vote on it up or down," Link said.

Gray, 47, a small-business owner from Mettawa, said to merit pay raises, elected officials need to do a good job.

"A raise would imply that they've done a good job and that's exactly opposite of the way I feel about our current lawmakers," he said. "I would not accept a pay raise if there were an annual deficit and I wouldn't vote (for raises) for anybody else, if there were a deficit."

Gray said he would back reasonable pay raises if the independent compensation board was nonpartisan and truly independent, and board members weren't appointed by government leaders.

If he's elected and legislative raises are approved, Gray said he would donate his share to a charity.

The 30th District covers eastern Lake County from Waukegan south to North Chicago and southwest to Green Oaks, Mettawa, Lincolnshire and Riverwoods and a small portion of Cook County.

State House District 52:

Republican state Rep. Mark Beaubien and Democratic challenger Richard Garling differ slightly when it comes to the subject of base pay hikes or cost-of-living increases.

Beaubien, 65, of Barrington, said he's not in favor of base-pay hikes. However, he said, there is nothing wrong with cost-of-living boosts for state officials because it's common for working Americans or even those receiving Social Security checks. "Why not?" Beaubien said of cost-of-living pay adjustments. "If it's good for you, it's good for me."

Garling, 52, an Island Lake trustee, said he's against any boost in legislators' pay. "I think they earn enough already," he said.

The 52nd District includes west and southwest Lake County from Fox Lake, Round Lake, Island Lake and Wauconda south to the Barrington area. It also has Crystal Lake, Cary and Fox River Grove in McHenry County.

State House District 51:

Republican state Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr. voted against giving himself and other lawmakers raises this summer and pledged to do so again; Democratic challenger Amanda Howland said people should get raises based on merit and not automatically.

Sullivan, 39, seeks a fourth term. He's facing a second challenge from Howland, whom he defeated in 2006.

"I voted against the pay raise and publicly stated that if it went through I would donate it to charity," the Mundelein resident said. "It is certainly not the time to be accepting raises or cost-of-living increases."

He called for a new system requiring lawmakers to proactively vote for or against salary increases, rather than only being able to vote down such plans. Sullivan, who's also Fremont Township's assessor, recently opposed possible pay raises for Fremont Township officials.

Howland also opposes how lawmakers' salaries are set.

"In the business world, a pay raise isn't automatic, said Howland, 56, an attorney from Lake Zurich.

She said she would vote against a legislative pay raise under the current system. If raises were approved despite her vote, she said she'd probably give the money to charity, but was concerned about such a move and a potential conflict of interest.

"It's taxpayer dollars," she said. "If they wanted to give it to charity, they would do it themselves."

Howland said she believes the pay-raise system should be changed but admitted not knowing enough about it to suggest an alternative.

The 51st District includes much of central and southern Lake County.

State House District 59:

Incumbent state Rep. Kathleen Ryg says the current system for awarding legislative pay raises needs reform, but she believes salaries should be adjusted in line with the cost of living. Her Republican opponent Daniel J. Sugrue says he would vote against any future raises.

"The easy answer is 'no I won't accept a pay raise,' but that's disingenuous because I think the whole process is wrong," Ryg said. She has voted against pay raises in the past because she believed the process was dysfunctional, but she doesn't think legislative salaries should be frozen.

"I am looking at reforms that take the politics out of these decisions," said Ryg, 56, a Vernon Hills Democrat. "Raises are fine as long as it keeps pace with the cost of living increases, and as long as politics stay out of it."

Ryg said salary increases recommended by an independent oversight commission should be final and implemented each year. Similarly, if that commission recommended a salary freeze, that should also be OK, she said.

"These aren't volunteer positions where we get a stipend. It is a job," she said. "If it becomes a year-round job, you incur expenses."

Sugrue, 44, a Green Oaks attorney, said if a pay increase went through despite his "no" vote, he would not accept it. He said he would give the money to a charity, and not take the tax write-off.

"Since it's not really my money, it's the taxpayers money, I am not going to derive a benefit from money that I shouldn't have gotten to begin with," he said.

The 59th District is in east central Lake County and northern Cook County from Park City south to Green Oaks, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Wheeling.

State House District 61:

Neither Republican incumbent JoAnn Osmond of Antioch nor her Democratic challenger, James H. Parks, also of Antioch, favor accepting pay raises at this time.

Parks, 60, an independent sales representative, said the time isn't right. "In these economic times, it is totally inappropriate for us to have a salary increase," Parks said. "People get aggravated, frustrated and angry when they see politicians getting a salary increase while they are struggling to pay their own bills." Parks is not against the idea of pay boosts, but says it should happen only when the economic situation improves.

Osmond, 62, says she's always voted against pay raises and will continue to do so. "We don't have excess money right now. We can't hand each other a check and say 'nice job,' she said. "It's the wrong thing to do. We need to tighten our belts right now."

The 61st District covers northern Lake County from Lake Michigan to the county line.