Rank-and-file lawmakers have received paychecks of more than $50,800.

Judge Garcia points to the lack of a budget as reason enough to delay payments to legislators.

A group of state representatives has filed a lawsuit against Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger.

Illinois’ unpaid bills could reach new highs by summer 2017.

Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger wants to tie politicians’ pay to a balanced budget.

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.

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

Munger said that if raising taxes were the only answer to the budget crisis, lawmakers would have to increase the income tax from its current 3.75 percent to 8 percent.

Latest budget proposal from House Democrats would almost certainly cause further delays in officials’ pay, as Gov. Bruce Rauner would likely veto the plan, which is unbalanced by $7 billion.

Total compensation for affected legislators and statewide officeholders equals about $1.3 million per month, according to the comptroller. On top of salaries, taxpayers also have to foot the bill for lawmaker pensions – in Illinois’ active legislators will each cost the state budget about $180,000 next year.