State Rep. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, criticized payment delays for Illinois politicians, despite the fact that his compensation cost taxpayers nearly $100,000 in 2015.

Nearly 5,000 Chicago city workers make six-figure salaries, driving up the payroll and pension costs overtaxed city residents must pay.

Under the stopgap budget, Illinois will spend $8 billion more than it collects in tax revenues; Illinois needs to enact major reforms to rein in its out-of-control spending and avoid billions in tax hikes.

Illinois lawmakers earn base salaries of nearly $68,000 for what is essentially part-time work.

The Illinois comptroller warns Illinois' backlog of unpaid bills will reach $10 billion by December.

The stopgap budget passed by the General Assembly provides six months worth of funding for government services such as road construction, as well as a full K-12 education budget for the 2016-2017 school year, property-tax-raising authority for Chicago, and more state funding of pensions for Chicago Public Schools teachers.

Until CPS passes necessary spending and pension reforms, giving any additional money to the system will only reward officials’ mismanagement and reckless behavior.

The pension problem was created and has been fueled by weak politicians – men and women who decided their next elections were more important than the next generation.