By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
We’ve reported several times how hard Illinoisans have had it in recent years, especially when it comes to work. Illinois currently has the nation’s second-highest unemployment rate. Jobs are less plentiful today than when Gov. Pritzker took office, down by nearly 150,000 (see appendix). Not to mention Illinoisans had to endure some of the most draconian Covid lockdowns in the country, a doubling of gas taxes, nasty inflation, and more.
So it can’t be ignored when Illinois lawmakers vote themselves a massive pay increase and expect their struggling constituents to pay for it. In yet another lame duck, partisan line vote, Democratic lawmakers in both houses voted to boost legislative salaries by nearly $12,000. That near 17 percent increase pushes up pay for part-time lawmaker work to $85,000.
Illinois lawmakers were already the nation’s fifth-highest paid legislators in 2022. The $12,000 increase will raise that to the 4th-highest.
In contrast, earnings for ordinary Illinois workers were basically flat from 2019 to 2021 when taking inflation into account. The median annual earnings for Illinoisans was only $41,504 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Worker pay is even lower in many areas of the state. Take worker pay in Rockford, where median earnings were just over $30,000 in 2021. The earnings are similar in towns like Peoria, Decatur, and Cicero.
Even in Chicago, median earnings are just $43,000.
Illinois lawmakers, meanwhile, aren’t struggling with inflation. Their latest extra pay increase comes on top of the automatic annual cost-of-living raises lawmakers began giving themselves again in 2019.
And base salaries are only a part of lawmaker compensation. There’s $11,000 to $30,000 stipends for lawmakers in committee and leadership positions, additional per diem payments, subsidized health insurance, and, of course, guaranteed lifetime pensions.
It’s a perfect illustration of the two-class system at work in Illinois. Lawmakers vote themselves guaranteed raises on top of their guaranteed pensions, while forcing private sector workers, who don’t make nearly as much nor have any such guarantees, to pay for them.
But just looking at Illinois’ record, state lawmakers don’t deserve a raise. They deserve a cut – or worse. Nothing done on pensions, property taxes, out-migration and plenty bad done on schools, crime, business climate, and more.
Appendix.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Illinois has created no net new jobs in 20 years
- New jobs data release: Illinois unemployment rate worsens to 4.7 percent, now nation’s 2nd-worst
- Amendment 1 makes vast majority of Illinoisans subservient to government workers: 7 percent lords over 93 percent
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.
Article in City Journal cites ten red states that are cutting income taxes because of record budget surpluses, including IN. NY only blue state thinking about it because of loss of high income earners to other states. These are also states with high in-migration populations and the arrival of more residents and businesses means even more tax revenue. Of course, IL is not one of them. As an aside, the influx of new residents in our county in SC has cut $150 off our property taxes from $1750 to $1600. And, SC has also lowered its income tax rates. And… Read more »
Yup, we intend to write our own thing on that City Journal piece, which is here:https://www.city-journal.org/black-ink-brings-red-state-tax-cuts
There’s no bread,? Let them eat cake! There is no end to what they will take!
Good lesson on fiscal responsibility. When you are on the balls of your A$$ go out and spend more money that you do not have. They are putting the next generation in a deep debt hole. Many of the next generation will choose not to live in Illinois, destroying the future of the state. The next generation and their families are the backbone of the state.
Illinois is spineless
A mere bag of shells …
IL Democrat Party is a RICO Enterprise
SB1720 also includes this convenient carve-out: For any General Assembly in which the majority party in the House of Representatives has 71 or more elected Representatives, the majority party shall have one additional majority officer who shall have the title of speaker pro tempore and who shall receive an amount equal to the majority leader in the House and one majority officer who shall receive an amount equal to an assistant majority leader in the House of Representatives. For any General Assembly in which the majority party in the Senate has 36 or more elected Senators, the majority party shall… Read more »
Winners make policy. If Republicans don’t like it then they will need to start getting more votes. The majority voters of Illinois seem pleased with the current situation.
“Pleased” ha ha ha ha!
The problem is that there is NO opposition Party. The democrats are as evil as evil can be and are in for a power trip and the pissy-poo republicans are in for as much as they can bilk out of the system. Anyone who believes they are being represented must be smoking some of that brain numbing pot both Parties have foisted on the public.
I hate to agree with PPF, but this is what the voters signed up for-legislators raises, increasing pension debt, free college, universal preschool, increased abortion rights, increased gas taxes, and so on and so on. If you’re not one of those who voted for Pritzker and signed on to all these benefits, you better get out quick because it will only get worse. There’s a great life outside IL.
Wally,
Agreeing with me only means you are agreeing with reality and not that you like the current situation. Just proves you have a level head. Probably why you moved to SC instead of just complaining your life away.
Enjoy your life in SC. We get what we demand and you clearly demand a different environment. Good for you.
They are so pleased there are 100k fewer of them than last year. Going to be really hard to collect that pension when there is no one left but pensioners.
Yawn. Same old population story. Everyone is going to leave. Only pensioners will be left BS. From 2010 to 2020 all we heard about was how many people were leaving the state. Then the 2020 census (you know the official numbers not made up ones) showed that the state was flat for population and didn’t lose the people that all the estimates showed. Tax revenues are at an all time high. That’s all that matters. If not? Plenty of taxes to be raised. Increase flat income tax. Threaten more income tax increases or offer progressive tax as alternative. Basically choose… Read more »
You really are ignorant and greedy.
There is a significant difference in income and wealth between hose that leave and those that come in to replace them, but it looks like you have all the bases covered to keep your bed feathered. Have another doughnut. 😀
Yes. Rich people are leaving and poor people are moving in yet somehow tax revenue is at an all time high.
No featherbedding, just getting paid what is owed. If you don’t mind giving away you assets, go ahead and donate it to the state. I prefer to keep my own money.
Yes, tax revenue at an all-time high. And tax revenue is at an all time high in most states. But so is inflation, which severely blunts the impact of the our increased nominal revenue figures. IL’s budget claimed to have a $1.5B surplus when it really had a $1.5B deficit. But whatever, We’ll go with the surplus figure. Unfortunately, Illinois’s all time high revenue, which lead to a $1.5B surplus, pales in comparison to other states that also have surpluses. Texas annouced today it has a $32B surplus (over two years for $16 a year). Texas is 2.5x the size… Read more »
They all ran for election for a position with a specific salary. If that salary wasn’t enough, their platform should have contained specifics about supporting a raise, how much they’d support, if they would accept said raise if elected, etc.
Legislative pay increases should only be allowed to go into effect the beginning of a fiscal year (July 1) of an election year.
Democrat greed is out of control. We see Democrat/government greed in the despicable actions of the Illinois legislature, the lazy greed-crazed unions, and in the executive branch. The greed-crazed democrats have no oversight nor accountability. The democrats and their associated crime families are free to financially rape and abolish the rights of all Illinoisans, and the democrats are pursuing their vile agenda with gusto
Why should naive Illinois voters be surprised by this behavior? You got what you voted for.
Relocate out of state while there’s still time. An exit tax is most certainly in the offing.
Sick. Would not expect anything less from IL legislators. WirePoints: don’t forget the massive pensions (and medical) we pay these part-time state legislators. i.e. didn’t I read a few years ago that Ed Burke’s brother, a part time IL state legislator, was set to earn about $186k (plus medical-all indexed to at or above inflation) per year for that part time work? Pensions…pensions…(early retirement pensions) thats where the real money (ie $0.5T).
No collective bargaining/ Amendment 1 required! Maybe in Illinois you actually have 3 classes of citizenry (not 2)–elected, public & bozo.
Inflation just doesn’t impact the cost of goods but also the cost of services. Wages need to increase. Pretty simple. If the voters disagree then they will vote them out. Otherwise a big nothing burger.
Please bother to read the article.
I’ve read it. Nothing changes the fact that voters are not bothered by this no matter how many times it’s posted so they ultimately approve.
Acting like paying lawmakers 85k per year is breaking the bank is ridiculous. I would rather see them paid more and not allow them to own or operate any other business or work for any other company. The real problem is the influence they have to make money outside of government. Who cares about 12k per year. It’s a rounding error in the total budget.
I care
The majority of the voters don’t so your opinion means nothing to them.
This comment is why folks with a brain are leaving.
I’ve read it. Nothing changes the fact that voters are not bothered by this no matter how many times it’s posted so they ultimately approve. They do, but the problem is gerrymandering, because the people who DO care are sunk into Republican +79 districts while they spread the Democrats out and make their districts D+5 or D+10, thereby diluting the vote. They only have 55% of the state but they have upwards of 70% of the legislative districts. Even 538 says that IL has the worst gerrymandering in the country. https://fivethirtyeight.com/videos/illinois-may-be-the-worst-democratic-gerrymander-in-the-country/ The worst Democratic gerrymander in the country is arguably… Read more »
Waaaahhhhh! Gerrymanderingggggggg! Waaaaaaah!
The majority still voted for Democrats. Gerrymandering didn’t cause JB to get reelected, the voters did.
Don’t you watch the national news? Only republicans are responsible for gerrymandering. In fact I think it is now a single word – republicangerrymandering. Just like republicanvotersuppression,
That is a very important point. Those jobs are considered part time work and in my area the Representatives seem to be employed by the law firm sector. One might opine then that the legal community gets favorable treatment come legislation time. That wouldn’t happen in Illinois though would it…uh..would it?
Is it to much for you to expect integrity, ethics, and stewardship from the Democrats you support? If not, why?
Who says I support democrats? I just don’t think this issue means that much when you think of all the issues Illinois is dealing with.
I think very few politicians on either side of the aisle have any integrity. George Santos lying? I haven’t heard too many republicans asking him to step down.
You’re ignorant if you think one party has more integrity than the other.
We get it – your only concern is your cut and to hell with everything and everyone else.
The massive size of the pension system is the guarantee that Democrats will continue their one party cleptocrasy indefinitely. Between current pensioners, future pensioners, and their families, none of whom will vote against their promised pension gravy train, Democrats are starting every election with about a 1 million vote head start. So if there are 6 M voters in an election, Republicans need to win 60% of the remaining votes to even come close. Given the influence of the teachers unions on younger voters over the last 30 years, winning 3 of 5 non-pension voters isn’t going to happen. The… Read more »
Election over, time for the winners to start rewarding themselves. PPF is correct. Majority of Illinois voters don’t care. Look at all the other things they don’t care about (crime, schools, taxes). If you do care, you are in the wrong state.
The state has some of the highest taxes in the USA. It is still broke, busted, do not have the change of a nickel. It is time to roll back wages to save the state. People are fleeing like someone yelled FIRE. PPF and the likes of you have DESTROYED the quality of life for hard working honest family’s, they are the backbone of our society. They are FLEEING Illinois and the state will FAIL without them. So suck it up and take a pay cut for the team.
No. I’ll negotiate for more as I’ve always done. You pay more in taxes. Suck it up and take one for the team.
Better to quit the team and join another, i.e., move. Not everyone will, but at some point, the exodus can’t be ignored by politicians and the poor saps who stayed behind.
Cut nose, spite face. Always works out well in the end. At least you got yours, right?
Exactly the point by PPF. Take what is given, public sector unions and pensions are always rewarded by the leftists. So what? He may not have any shame but that is how it works in Illinois, come on you know that by now? Those that have to stay will need to play the game and be very careful about opening the pie hole who may not agree with the party line. Communists are everywhere in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Don’t think for one minute that this lunatic power grab will stop. It was a referendum for all of them… Read more »
“I’ll” Ha ha ha ha ha
“Negotiate” ha ha ha ha!
What he means is “my union will extort . . .”
“If the voters disagree then they will vote them out.”
Actually, the ethical play would have been to say, “I promise to raise my wages 17% if you vote for me.” The election was a mere 2 months ago.
They give themselves raises, so the “services” they provide cost more, which means they should give themselves more raises. Makes sense to me. Other than higher salaries, what services might you be suggesting we’re getting from these fat, corrupt, greedy politicians that is costing more? Wait, I remember . . . Illinois politicians have ladled out higher minimum wages, more welfare programs, more wasteful education spending, fraudulent unemployment benefits, cannabis licenses, no cash bail and on and on. Of course it’s so logical they should get pay increases. PPF, you help shed light on that which all of us just… Read more »
Clearly they are doing an outstanding job. The voters just told us so. It only stands to reason that they deserve a nice raise.
The voters approved their performance at the current salary.
Voters choose representation they do not choose every action of that representative. That’s the whole point of representative government. If the voters feel the salaries went to far then they are free to choose someone else next time.
The reality is it means nothing for the overall budget and most voters couldn’t care less. If they did, we would have different decisions being made.
How can we choose anyone else when the districts are gerrymandered? It’s circular logic to suggest or pretend otherwise: Voters choose there representatives. —Well, actually, they don’t, the districts are gerrymandered democrat, so there is an illusion of choice, but rarely, if ever, does a democrat lose their gerrymandered district to the opponent (if there even is one) Voters choose their representatives to gerrymander districts so that they never lose their seat…that’s democracy! —But if their state reps pick their voters, instead of voters picking their rep, and no rep ever really loses, in practice, is this really a choice… Read more »
Waaaaaahhhhhhh Gerrymandering Waaaaaaahhhhh!
The voters aren’t voting your way in the entire state. I would be more sympathetic if you were winning statewide but you’re not.
The voters in those gerrymandered districts still choose this. They want this. Gerrymandering changes the number of seats that are D or R but it doesn’t change that the majority in the state want this. Stop making excuses.
Maybe try convincing those voters in your district. But then you might have to see things from multiple view points and not just get your way on every issue. The horror.
Convince voters in this district?
What district is this? Is this a district? Or a collection of Democrat voters strung together to ensure that a Democrat is elected to this seat?
PFF calls this democracy!!
Sure, go knock on doors in ….. checks district map….this 200 mile stretch of known Democrat ballot harvesting, and flip it red!
The voters chose Democrats to gerrymander maps to ensure that Democrats never lose any seats. This is the will of the voter, not extreme partisan gerrymandering creating an noncompetitive and inequitable races, where Democrats never lose.
It’s PFF’s democracy!
Excellent Points D – The way PPF flaunts this… well the voters love it blah blah blah is pulled right out of Stalin Talking Point. PPF knows damn well the system is rigged that is why all the self serving “see look the voters want this etc”
But PPF is right in thing….dont like it…better move or this is on you …because it is not going to change ever . The unions own the residents in IL pure and simple and you can add that to the old “death and taxes” line
ManBabyinOct2022: The GOP can win. They have a path. The polls are wrong. There is a path. Me: The state is a deep blue state and Bailey is going to lose by double digits. ManBabyinOct2022: I’ll take that bet. You’ll see. You’ll all see. ManBabyNov8: I’m so dejected. I just want to curl up into a corner and cry. Me: You may not like what the legislature is doing but the people have voted for this. The people want this and get the government they deserve. ManBaby: They didn’t want this because…. gerrymandering. It’s not fair. Waaaaahhhhhhhh! Me: Gerrymandering impacts… Read more »
PPF: the leader of the exodus! “Get out you Americans!”
But in states where gerrymandering failed, like NY this past election, the more fair maps elected reps that better reflect the proportional division of the voters statewide. Because the maps weren’t so gerrymandered to ensure a win, but instead, had competitive seats, proving that gerrymandering does in fact cause voter suppression and inequitable and RACIST out comes.
So voting for them sent a clear message to perform a specific action yet voters do not choose specific actions. Pick a lane.
Then announce it prior to the election and campaign on it.
I think you know as well as I that there is no relationship between job performance and job approval in the public sector. None. If you think so, spend a day at the DMV or waiting in line at airport security or reading Wirepoints’ statistics on educational excellence in our schools
Clearly