A budget battle is brewing in Springfield that could threaten state employee paychecks next month, says CBS-2's sources. The irony is that a pay raise for elected officials is part of the dispute.
As Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, the General Assembly approved a state budget ten days ago that calls for spending at least $2 billion more than it raises in revenue. Governor Blagojevich is hinting veto, but he can't do that until the House and Senate send him the official, "enrolled and embossed" copies of the legislation. Sources say the State Senate may delay until the last possible moment on June 30th, because Senate President Emil Jones is trying to talk the governor out of a veto.
One reason for this is it could cost legislators a $4,700 pay raise.
"The fact that the pay raise for the elected officials is kind of holding up the train is really sad," says Jay Stewart, executive director of the Better Government Association. "It shows you how petty and parochial sometimes the members can be."
A veto in early July could also trigger a rerun of last summer's bitter budget standoff that delayed some state worker paychecks. By the second week of July, 4,900 are due; by the third, some 17,400 more; by the fourth week, 44,800 more.
In fact, sources report, House Speaker Michael Madigan believes that payroll pressure and the threat of shutting down vital state services will ultimately force all sides to resolve their differences.
Another factor is proposed pay raises for elected officials, taking legislators from $65,353 to $70,022 a year;and the governor from $170,917 to $184,035.
Under the quirky rules the General Assembly created for raising its own pay, those raises immediately take effect as soon as the State Senate convenes three more times. That is, unless the senate votes to reject the raises. The Illinois House did. That puts State Senate leaders on a hot seat they want to avoid until after the November election.
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