Legislators, governor get retroactive raises

SPRINGFIELD - In recent weeks, state lawmakers and officials received checks and direct deposits totaling thousands of dollars for pay raises dating back to January.

Every lawmaker got at least $2,762. Gov. Rod Blagojevich got the biggest amount -- $7,223.50.

This comes in the wake of the longest budget stalemate in state history, one that cost taxpayers more than $1 million for expenses of lawmakers and other officials, dragged the spring session out from May through August but resolved little in terms of the state's financial future, school funding or state-sponsored construction.

The checks reflect retroactive pay increases that were approved by lawmakers and then signed last month by the governor. The raises take the base pay for a lawmaker to $63,143 from $57,619. They can make thousands more serving in leadership posts and running committees.

Blagojevich's annual pay increased to $158,000 from $150,700. Other statewide elected officials and top state bureaucrats got similar raises.

Since the raises weren't approved until August but were for terms that began in January, lawmakers and officials were cut checks for what they should have been paid during the first part of the year under the new pay scales they approved for themselves.

The raises don't stop there.

The just-approved new state budget includes another round of pay raises that adds more than $2,000 to a lawmaker's base pay and takes the governor's salary up to $171,000.

Some lawmakers, like Lake Forest Democratic Sen. Susan Garrett, aren't keeping the money. Garrett said she'll use the added amount to start a scholarship fund for area special education students going to college.

"It seemed hard to swallow to me that we should take that type of an increase at this particular moment in time," Garrett said. Aside from the pay raise going forward, state records show Garrett received $3,182.54 to cover the first part of 2007.

Last month, Blagojevich's aides told the Chicago Tribune the governor wouldn't take the money. But on Friday, a spokeswoman said she didn't know what he planned to do.

"We haven't discussed (it) with him," said spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch.