As Illinoisans have fled the state in droves thanks to rising crime, high taxes, and poor public education, Illinois legislators gave themselves a $12,000 pay raise.
Illinois lost 110,000 residents in 2022, and saw its debt increase by $10 billion to $140 billion in 2022.
Despite these failures, state legislators passed many spending bills in late December. This included $850 million for the state’s rainy day fund, $400 million to attract businesses, and pay raises for members of the state General Assembly, Senate, and executive agencies.
State lawmakers saw their pay increase 18% and now make $85,000 per year, with an additional $12,000 in stipends for “extra duties,” making them the 4th highest paid state legislators in the nation. The last pay raise for Illinois legislators came in 2008.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker also secured pay raises for his cabinet and executive agency directors, who will see about a 10% pay bump. The Illinois lieutenant governor, comptroller, and treasurer will now make $160,900. The attorney general and secretary of state will now make $183,300. The chiefs of eight executive agencies can now earn up to $200,000.
While the billionaire Pritzker doesn’t take a salary, the governor’s salary also increased to $205,700, from $190,700.
Illinois Democrats defended the pay raises, with Gov. Pritzker telling ABC7 that, “People are willing to take a discounted salary off of what they might get in the private sector to come to public service, but you really have to be somewhat competitive.”
With a possible recession, many in the private sector are faced with pay cuts and layoffs, while government officials boost their bank accounts with taxpayer money.
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