Illinois lawmakers making $128K for 70 days of work
While Illinois families face one of the nation’s highest unemployment rates, the nation’s highest property taxes and the highest state and local tax burden, state lawmakers just gave themselves another raise. They get $128,000 for 70 days of work.
Illinois state lawmaker pay is hitting $128,000 in the newest budget: for less than 70 days of work a year.
Base salaries just went up by $6,000 to $98,000. When you add in per-diem and bonuses for leadership and committee positions, the average total compensation will be $128,000.
Comparing Illinois to other states shows lawmakers’ base salary will be the fourth highest in the nation and over double the national average. Illinois state lawmakers are technically less than full-time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Illinois lawmakers are typically in session for only 70 days a year, one reason the National Conference of State Legislatures classifies them as “full time lite,” meaning they:
- Serve shorter sessions.
- Represent smaller districts.
- Employ larger staffs.
- Still spend at least 80% of their time on legislative work.
The 5% raise is the maximum amount allowed under Illinois law. Only three other states pay their legislators more: New York, California and Pennsylvania, all of which are full-time legislatures.
More taxes for residents
The pay bump for lawmakers was one of the many items raising costs for taxpayers in the record $55.2 billion state budget that started July 1, including:
- Online sports betting tax. 25 cents per wager for first 20 million bets, then 50 cents per wager after that.
- Tobacco and nicotine tax hike. Rate increases from 36% to 45%, now includes vapes, nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes.
- Retailer license fee. Doubles from $75 to $150 for tobacco and nicotine sales.
- Phone line surcharge. Wireless cell phone tax hike, atop what were already the nation’s highest cell taxes.
- Short-term rentals: Hotel tax now applies to short-term rentals such as VRBO.
Besides giving themselves raises, state lawmakers included $237 million in pork-barrel spending for their districts, but only the 2-in-3 districts represented by a Democrat.
Illinoisans’ everyday costs are increasing and the unemployment rate still sits above the national average. Illinois property taxes are the highest in the nation and double the national average. Illinoisans pay the nation’s highest state and local tax burden.
Lawmakers should be less interested in boosting their own pay and more focused on easing the financial burden on their constituents. Doing that means committing to structural changes in order to achieve long-term stability.