Does your State Rep. want a raise?
Here's the vote. pdf file
Acevedo, Berrios, Brady, Burke, Chavez, Collins, M. Davis, Dunkin, Giles, Golar, Graham, Hamos, Howard, Kelly, McCarthy, McKeon, Mendoza, Molaro, Osterman, Soto, Turner, and Washington all voted to give themselves more money. 21 Democrats and 1 Republican.
Without cooperative legislation in the State Senate, the base pay of lawmakers would rise from $57,619 to $63,143, the governor's salary would go from $150,691 to $165,138. The salaries of the attorney general and secretary of state would increase from $132,963 to $145,711, while the salaries of the lieutenant governor, comptroller and treasurer would increase from $115,235 to $126,283.
From the Tribune we learn Emil Jones Jr. and the Senate may play games to get their raise while still opposing it.The resolution rejecting the additional money passed 78-to-22 and now goes to the state Senate. If senators approve the same resolution, the increase will be blocked. But some lawmakers said they worry the Senate will approve its own version. That way, both legislative chambers could be on record opposing the increase but neither resolution would get approval from both chambers and the raises would take effect.
Of those in the House that voted NO - meaning they want raises - only two will have competition on the ballot in November. Republican Dan Brady will face Green Party candidate Phil Huckelberry and Democrat Robert Molaro has a Republican opponent. Chavez and Giles lost their primaries.
A point I made last night on Bruno Behrend's radio show, was that it is easier for politicians to vote in favor of things like raises for themselves when they have no opponents on the ballot. Today, they proved me right.
7 comments:
What's the philosopy here?
State Sen is a part time job and they go back home and practice law, sell insurance, undertake?
I'd rather double their salaries and make them full timers.
It should be noted that in districts where a major party did not have a candidate running in the March 21 Primary Election, a candidate can be nominated by appointment of party officials by May 15. So some of those legislators who voted against blocking the pay hike may yet find themselves facing an opponent come November.
I'd rather cut their salaries in half and go back to sessions every other year. Doesn't need to be a full-time job. Giving yourself a pay raise when you are behind $1.7 billion in payments to healthcare proiders? A pension system underfunded by $38 billion?
That is true Randall. They can slate candidates without having to get any signatures whatsoever. I doubt more than a handful will be slated, however. I need to check again, but I think the slating deadline is in the middle of May.
They should vote for a pay decrease.
Jeff,
I'm with you. Thanks for the mention, BTW.
I will have our conversation on my podcast page in a day or two.
BTW, for any of you bloggers (left or right) who want to be part of an "Illinois Blogger" report, contact me (see webpage).
I'm trying to set up a segment ( 1 hr/week, where you can call in and do a BBC style "interstate call" on the air.
Free air time, how cool is that?
How are Victor Reyes and HDO not an issue for anyone?
HDO and specifically State Senator Munoz are recipients of campaign donations of the ring leader of a 8 person (at least) Heroin ring run out of the Department of Water Management connected to the Columbian cartel. The indicted drug trafficer is George Prado who is a member of HDO, gave money to HDO and Senator Munoz (at the coincidental timing of promotion) and worked with the father and brother of Senator Munoz as a hoisting engineer (A base pay of $30 an hour with no education and with overtime $75,000 to $100,000 a year) A drug dealer, politics, money, heroin. Serious corruption.
Victor Reyes is "Co-schemer A" in guilty pleas, proffers of immunity and indictments with HDO all over them including former Streets and Sanitation honcho Al "the Troll" Sanchez. Please read (you can do it online) the Federal government documents of the Sorich/Slatter indictment, Santiago proffer, Angelo Torres guilty plea, Donald Tomczak plea agreement. Fixing jobs, violations of Shakman, money for jobs, fixed tests, sex for jobs, nepotism.
Last but not least HIRED TRUCKS, Angelo Torres a former (maybe current) gang member with no education nor management experience (nor contracting or procurement or trucking experience) gets a $80,000 year job in charges of the HIRED TRUCKS program. He takes bribes and gets trucking companies contracts who do no work and are connected to organized crime creating a loss for taxpayers and safety hazards. Merely read the dozens of articles in the award winning Sun Times expose. Hired Truck money went to HDO, Senator Munoz, State Rep Acevedo. Angelo Torres's wife was the campaign treasurer to Senator Munoz campaign committee. Angelo Torres is cousins with Munoz's wife. Torres and Munoz have a religious tie through baptism in Spanish called compadres. Hundreds of millions of hired truck dollars, tens of thousands of bribes, tens of thousands of political contributions.
Rod Blagojevich did nothing about any of this. In fact he said HDO was like H20 (assmudily water)
Rod Blagojevich has given HDO members jobs. Rod Blagojevich has given Victor Reyes access for his clients in lobbying (recall Al Ronan, Swanson, Stu Levine---Victor is worse) Victor Reyes represents the pay to play system.
HDO is a huge issue for Blagojevich and will blow up before November. But Rod is smart enough to
dont forget that its also judges and states attorneys who are in the Comp review report. They do work full time.
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