Illinois legislators get first paychecks in 3 months
(Illinois Springfield/Flickr)
CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois lawmakers who had not been paid for three months because of the state's budget impasse got their paychecks this week.
But the Chicago Tribune reports their payment was unrelated to the short-term state budget lawmakers approved last week. The state owes about $8 billion in late bills and legislative pay finally got to the front of the line.
State Comptroller Leslie Munger announced on April 17 she would delay paychecks to lawmakers, saying it wasn't fair for them to get paid while nonprofits and vendors that provide state services waited for money. She also said she wanted to pressure them to pass a budget.
Lawmakers earn $67,836 annually.
The paychecks they just received were for April. The comptroller's office says their next paychecks will depend on incoming revenue.