ILLINOIS—In a tense move that comes hot on the heels of yesterday’s Senate override of Governor Pat Quinn’s veto on concealed carry legislation, Quinn has suspended the pay of state lawmakers hoping to fast-track a solution to Illinois’ public pension debacle.
There’s something about Quinn suspending the pay of legislators that reminds us of a father cutting off his son’s allowance….but leaving the moneybag open and lying on the counter.
Quinn announced the move this morning (Wednesday, 07.10.13), after legislators from both political parties also shot down Quinn’s proposed midnight deadline for solving the nearly $100 billion public pension crisis in Illinois.
Lawmakers from both sides have criticized Quinn’s past publicity-based attempts to resolve the pension crisis, citing his apparent lack of desire to engage legislators in meaningful, direct negotiations in order to rectify the debt, which grows by millions of dollars with every passing day.
In a news conference earlier today, Quinn said that he had also authorized the state comptroller to withhold his own salary until the General Assembly sends him a comprehensive pension reform solution. Quinn used a ‘line-item veto’ to suspend legislative stipends. The constitutionality of Quinn’s bold move is currently in question among Illinois lawmakers. Apparently, Quinn had been holding off on signing a key piece of the state budget, which gives the state comptroller the authority to issue paychecks to state employees.
Lawmakers earn nearly $68,000 per year, and can also earn pay bonuses for committee and leadership positions, as well as per diem payments for costs associated with business conducted in Springfield. The Governor’s salary is $177,000 per year. They are paid once a month and the next paychecks are due out at the end of July.
It is unclear at the moment whether Quinn’s attempt to suspend lawmakers’ pay will be the motivating factor in securing comprehensive pension reform. What is clear is that both sides are less than impressed with Quinn’s most recent stunt.
“It is obvious to everyone by now that this governor is long on press conferences and short on results,” offered former Obama Chief-of-Staff, Bill Daley, who plans to oppose Quinn in the coming Democratic primary for governor. “This media sideshow doesn’t get things done, in fact it stands in the way,” Daley said in a statement provided by his office earlier today.
“The pension crisis won’t be solved by political stunts, it will be solved by bold leadership that’s willing to take on the powerful interests in Springfield,” said Republican candidate for governor, Bruce Rauner, in a statement. “We won’t get that from the crowd in charge there now.”
Major credit ratings agencies have consistently downgraded Illinois’ credit rating because of the looming public pension debt. Illinois’ credit rating is currently the worst in the nation as the result of ineffective actions taken by the state to rectify the matter. Because of these credit downgrades, Illinois taxpayers must pay more when the state borrows money for construction projects and other expenses.