Blagojevich might save his pay raise from cuts
SPRINGFIELD — Despite threatening earlier this week to slash $1.5 billion in various state programs, it wasn’t clear Thursday whether Gov. Rod Blagojevich will cut a pay raise for himself and state lawmakers worth nearly 4 percent.
As part of the proposed state budget approved by the House and Senate in May, the governor and lawmakers would get cost-of-living increases worth 3.8 percent.
The salary boosts, if they go into effect July 1, would cost taxpayers about $1.4 million.
For Blagojevich, his base pay would jump to $177,500, up from $170,917.
Lawmakers would see their base pay rise to $67,836, up from $65,300.
Most lawmakers earn more than that because they serve on various committees and in leadership positions.
The prospect of bigger paychecks for the elected officials comes as the governor is threatening to reduce funds for social service programs, Amtrak, health care programs and other state initiatives that help the state’s poorest citizens.
In an outline of the proposed cuts released Tuesday, the governor does not mention anything about reducing the pay hikes.
Attempts to clarify whether he will cut the raises were not successful Thursday.
“It’s my afternoon off,” Blagojevich budget spokeswoman Kelley Quinn said. “I can’t answer any questions because I’m not in the office. I don’t know what else to tell you because I’m not there. I am a one person show right now.”
State Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, said reducing the raises is a “no-brainer.”
The raises are separate from salary boosts that also could go into effect if the Senate fails to reject them later this year. Those would raise base pay for lawmakers to nearly $73,000 by July 1, 2009.
The governor’s pay would rise to $192,700 on that date.
The House earlier voted to reject the larger increases, but rules governing pay hikes say that the raises will take effect unless both the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives reject them.
Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, favors a raise.
Kurt Erickson can be contacted at (217) 789-0865 or kurt.erickson@lee.net.