Ilinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger plans to delay monthly paychecks for lawmakers and statewide officials, saying there isn't enough money to pay the state's bills and that other services should come first.
The comptroller's office will still process the paychecks, estimated at $1.3 million a month, but lawmakers won't get the money right away because the payments will be thrown onto the state's huge pile of unpaid bills.
Munger acknowledged the idea is to apply pocketbook political pressure to lawmakers to spur a resolution to the 10-month budget fight between Republican Gov. Bruce Raunerand Democrats led by House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. She argued that lawmakers' paychecks are taking away money from nonprofit social service providers and small businesses who have seen their payments delayed during the impasse.
"I am hoping that this will help everyone understand what it feels like, really, to be among the group of people who are waiting months for payment," Munger, a Lincolnshire Republican, said at a rare Sunday morning news conference in Chicago.