By: John Klingner and Nick Binotti
Illinois lawmakers continue to reward themselves handsomely for failure. Illinois ranks among the worst nationally on a host of financial, economic and taxation metrics, and yet the same lawmakers that put Illinois in that position keep hiking their own pay, pushing their total compensation well above $100,000 for what is effectively part-time work.
New statistics from a recently released report by the state’s official financial analysts detailed just how poorly Illinois’ economy since 2019 ranks compared to the rest of the nation: 4th-worst for economic growth; 6th-worst for job growth; 6th-worst for unemployment; and 5th-worst for income growth.
Not that it matters to Illinois lawmakers, who have hiked their salary several times over the last three years. As of July 1st they pay themselves a base $93,712 a year, before stipends and other allowances push the total well above $100,000. It’s the 4th-highest base pay of any state legislator in the country. Only politicians in New York ($142,000), California ($122,694) and Pennsylvania ($102,844) pay themselves more.
Most lawmakers in Illinois’ neighboring states get by with far less, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Iowa lawmakers get just $25,000 per year. Indiana pays just $29,749. Missouri pays $37,711. Only Michigan comes close with $71,685 a year, but Illinois lawmakers’ new base salary is still over 30% higher than that.
Illinois lawmaker benefits don’t stop with just their salaries. Many politicians also receive additional stipends worth up to $30,000 for holding leadership positions in the House and Senate. Additionally, lawmakers also receive thousands of dollars in travel reimbursements and per-diem payments.
By law, lawmakers have set their pay to grow each year based on the rate of inflation – unless lawmakers vote to reject the increase each year. In recent years, lawmakers haven’t rejected the automatic hike. Overall, lawmakers salaries are up nearly 33% in just three years.
While politicians can automatically give themselves salary hikes to stay far ahead of inflation, ordinary Illinoisans have no such power.
Average weekly earnings for private sector Illinoisans grew just 4% between 2021 and 2023 according to BLS data. By comparison, lawmakers raised their own salaries by 27% over that same time period. (Comparison is limited to 2023 since the BLS has not yet released private sector earnings for 2024.)
Pile on top of poor economic performance the nation’s highest property taxes, the 2nd-highest gas taxes and several high-profile political corruption cases, and it’s easy to understand why so many Illinoisans continue to flee the state.
There’s little faith in Illinois’ political class.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Illinois motorists already pay the nation’s 2nd-highest gas taxes. In a couple weeks, they’ll pay even more.
- The great exodus continues: Fresh IRS data shows Illinois loses residents to 40 other states
- Illinois lawmakers’ decision to kill school choice looks increasingly absurd
- States across the country are cutting taxes. Illinois just raised theirs by nearly $1 billion.
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Photo-Let’s raise our glasses and toast another fleecing of the taxpayers.
Swear by pinkies there will be no reforms.
Absolute power corrupts-ABSOLUTELY so the next rounds are on the taxpayers.
I wish that someone could have known that these three idiots would be drinking together. A perfect time to slip them a
Micky Finn.
Yeah, and none of them actually earned their money, fat tub of sh*t JB Pigster inherited his money, his grandfather must be spinning in this grave seeing what big of a piece of sh*t his idiot grandson has become. Total grifters, DOWN WITH THE CROWN!
Lots of people in the education business make more than this with even worse performance.
Government is in the business of overcharging the taxpayers for poor services.
The crown must be crushed! Its the only solution
Not to stick up for IL politicians, but $100k a year isn’t really that much money. I make twice that and I don’t even have to pay off the unions to keep my job! lol
That’s a lot of money to be paid for screwing up the state!! (and still have a job with perks!) Plus i’m sure they find a way to scarff more money some how!!
Hey pal – $100k a year *is* a lot of money. Maybe get out in the real world once in a while.
It’s not a lot of money and hasn’t been for quite some time. I know several recent college graduates that are starting out making 60-85k per year. Minimum wage jobs in this state should easily get someone to 35-40k per year. Whenever people act like 100k is a lot of money you know they either live in the middle of nowhere or retired from the work force a long long long time ago.
$100k a year is still a lot of money although with the inflation of the past four years, the purchasing power has significantly diminished. I just got off the phone for someone who works a ‘good’ job, is unionized and earns $100k as their maximum, and they are 3 years from retirement. The average wage earner in Cook County earns only $66k according to quarterly IRS records. Heck, the 80th percentile for just Chicago households is $110k and that’s basically bifurcated with poor areas in the $30s or lower and the rich areas well above six figures. $100k doesn’t nearly… Read more »
Minimum wage workers are making close to 40k a year. Earning 2.5 times the minimum wage is not a lot of money. I have no doubt that people without a career or skills think 100k is a lot of money but when it comes to people with career options it’s just not true. Like I said, plenty of college kids starting out earning 60 to 85 if they majored in anything with a career prospect and not some liberal arts degree. Sure most people don’t earn that much but most people don’t have the ability to run a campaign and… Read more »
I know you mean well PPF but your comments are very out of touch with the current economy, let alone the current job market. I don’t doubt that you personally have a lot of money. That doesn’t mean everyone else does.
Jacob, I appreciate your comment and I don’t think everyone has a lot or earns a lot of money. I just don’t understand the desire to compare any job to the overall average of all jobs. Also, 100k was the sign that you “made it” in the 90’s. People would say “6 figures” means you finally were doing well. That was over 30 years ago so I’m sure that people who retired 20 years ago can’t believe others don’t think 100k is a lot. With inflation it’s now just considered a good living and with current purchasing power you’ll struggle… Read more »
Two things can be true at once: $100k salary is ‘a lot’ of money, especially in comparison to the fact that the Chicago 80th percentile *household* income is $118,000; AND, it can also be true that $100,000 income has lost a lot of its purchasing power. Both can be true and are true. But the sad reality is that workers’ wages haven’t kept up with inflation, so that only the top 15% or so of workers are able to live the $100k a year lifestyle on what really is about $200k a year. That being said I know several single… Read more »
You do not have a clue of average wages.
You are so used to over charging the taxpayer for little to no work.
The private sector pays
The average annual worker pay varies widely depending on the country, industry, and specific job roles. Here are some general figures:
I don’t work in the public sector. I wouldn’t work for the low wages that the public sector offers. You and everyone always assumes that because I don’t support stealing from retirees. Maybe it’s that one dimensional thinking that hampers your ability to earn more money. Also, the average in the US means nothing. In Illinois, the average college educated person with at least 10 years of experience earns between 70 and 90k. Around Chicago it’s closer to 100k. It doesn’t make sense to me to compare college educated career individuals with high school dropouts working in fast food or… Read more »
This is called moving the goal posts now. Before you said it wasn’t a lot but or anyone with a career or skills its not a lot. Now, you said, “100k is good money but it’s not exorbitant by any means.” No one ever said it was exorbitant. We said it’s a lot. We didn’t say luxury, or outlandish, but a lot. Comparatively in the marketplace, $100+ a year jobs are uncommon, coveted and not easy to get for the average worker, and when a worker obtains a $100k a year job, they often stay at that job as long… Read more »
As of 2022, the average annual wage in Illinois was approximately $62,000. For more precise and updated figures, you can visit the BLS website or the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) website, which provide detailed statistics on wages and employment.
That means one half make less than $62,000 per year.
That’s $22.50 per hour.
From the first paragraph: “for what is effectively part-time work”
It is part-time work. The GA is in session from the 1st Wed in Jan- May 31 or a little later every year with a 2-week Lame Duck session after the Nov election to zip up unfinished business or fine-tune what was done in the “spring” session. They all have campaign funds & Pacs & political parties that pay for their election/re-election expenses. The only time they may need to initially fund a campaign from their pocket is if they are newbies just starting their quest for power. They are also allowed to earn income from a family business or… Read more »
Illinois government is a joke. Voters can only impact this stupidity if they actually vote these criminals out of office. Conservative Voters have given up and in many cases, most of these crooks run unopposed as there is no point, stupid democratic voters elect these people every election cycle. Chicago is the problem. Most counties show republican on the election maps…but Chicago and all the…eh…people there…skew the election. They vote for hand outs and programs that the rest of the state tax payers pay for – its a mess and not going to be resolved anytime soon. Best to get… Read more »
Moe, Larry and Curley celebrated stealing
Even more money from taxpayers.
Nice picture of Moe, Larry and Curly.
This should be the default photo for all our articles. 😉
Warren Buffet once said he could fix the federal debt in 5 minutes with a simple law precluding politicians from running again if the deficit exceeded 3% of GDP. Illinois state politicians rig election laws, gerrymander districts, fight ethics laws, ease donation restrictions, allow politicians to retain campaign donations for whatever use (see Eddie Burke), allow conflicts of interest, enshrine public pensions in the state constitution ensuring a permanent symbiotic relationship with their largest sources of support, public unions, they make no attempts at budget cuts and have little accountability. No wonder this state is a fiscal disaster.
And buy off judges, including the IL supreme court. IL is ALL about BIG government, and growing government at everyones expense. Democrats will be having a sad face when PDJT cuts off the sugar.
Correction-Illinois lawmakers are getting rewarded handsomely to keep voting on bills that benefit a specific “Party”. No need to mention which one considering they have a super majority.
And specific unions. They are bought and paid for.