Bill aims to pay Illinois lawmakers only for days they actually work

By Ben Szalinski

11/15/2019

Lawmakers can currently work one day to qualify for a whole month’s pay. A bill to change that has been stuck in committee since the spring.

TAGS: COLA, house rules, Illinois General Assembly, lawmaker pay, Luis Arroyo, mike murphy, raises, rules committee, Sarah Jimenez, Springfield

Illinois state lawmakers 4th-highest paid in nation

By Bryce Hill

07/23/2019

The budget signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker included a $1,600 pay raise for the Illinois General Assembly – which already collects the nation’s 4th-highest base salary for state lawmakers.

TAGS: budget, lawmaker pay, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Illinois state lawmakers among highest paid in nation

By Ben Szalinski

07/16/2019

The Illinois General Assembly passed budget that included a $1,600 pay raise for state lawmakers, who already rank among the nation’s highest paid.

TAGS: budget, lawmaker pay, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Cook County judge rules Illinois lawmakers cannot reject their own pay raises

By Vincent Caruso

07/11/2019

A circuit court judge sided with two former Illinois state lawmakers suing the state for back pay on past cost-of-living increases the Illinois General Assembly voted to freeze.

TAGS: lawmaker pay, Michael Noland

Summer brings pay hike for Illinois state lawmakers, pay cut for you

By Austin Berg

06/06/2019

Springfield politicians talking out of both sides of their mouths on tax “fairness” is one of many reasons they didn’t deserve a raise.

TAGS: budget, fair tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, lawmaker pay, taxes

Pritzker approves $1,600 pay raises for state lawmakers

By Vincent Caruso

06/05/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law a budget that includes pay raises for state lawmakers, as Illinoisans brace for a number of new tax hikes.

TAGS: budget, gas tax, JB Pritzker, lawmaker pay, taxes

Illinois state lawmakers pass $1,600 pay raise for themselves

By Vincent Caruso

06/02/2019

The Illinois General Assembly sent $85 billion in proposed spending to Gov J.B. Pritzker’s desk in a matter of days. That package included tax hikes on ordinary Illinoisans and pay raises for all state lawmakers.

TAGS: budget, lawmaker pay, taxes

56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

By Joe Barnas

02/08/2019

Illinois’ 101st General Assembly can be leaders in pension reform by passing a constitutional amendment that allows for changes to future, unearned benefits.

TAGS: 401(k), GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, lawmaker pay, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Another Illinois lawmaker hits the pension lottery

By Austin Berg

01/17/2019

There’s a lot of talk about renewed bipartisanship and a new day in Springfield. Dozens of state lawmakers have already opted out of the pension system. The General Assembly should take the lead and phase out their own defined-benefit system and get to work on a constitutional fix for the rest of Illinois’ pension mess.

TAGS: lawmaker pay, Lou Lang, pension guarantee, pensions

58 former Illinois state lawmakers collecting six-figure pensions

By Joe Barnas

11/06/2018

Former lawmakers receive generous benefits from the state’s worst-run retirement fund.

TAGS: Arthur L. Berman, COLA, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, Jim Edgar, lawmaker pay, pensions

2019 Illinois corruption tracker

Illinois is the second-most corrupt state in the nation, according to the University of Illinois-Chicago. And corruption costs the state economy at least $550 million per year. But the size and scope of government corruption is nothing new for Illinoisans. What is new? Powerful Illinois lawmakers, Chicago aldermen, local mayors and business interests are involved...

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2019 Illinois corruption tracker

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Al Lashbrook

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students