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.
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.
Illinois is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis. Over a third of residents are considered “burdened” by housing costs, meaning they pay over 30% of their income on costs related to housing. That is a greater portion of residents burdened by housing than any other state in the Midwest. The state fell 113,000...