Springfield, IL... State Representative David Leitch today introduced House Resolution 1218 urging Governor Pat Quinn to re-open state employee union contracts and remove $336.2 million in agency pay raises. As an Assistant Republican Leader, Leitch also sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Central Management Services (CMS) seeking the names, position titles, and amount of raises awarded in FY 2010 and FY 2011 to state employees.
"Illinois is facing a $13 billion dollar deficit. To address this fiscal nightmare, there must be some shared pain. Community-based providers, who care for our most vulnerable citizens, are facing $90 million in budget cuts, while bureaucrats working for the Department of Human Services are in line to receive $47 million in pay raises. It's upside down and needs to stop."
House Resolution 1218 urges Governor Quinn to reopen collective bargaining agreements to remove pay raises as a means to reduce state expenditures and ensure the additional funding is directed to education and social services programs.
"The mentally ill are being turned toward the street, services for the developmentally disabled are being cut, the elderly are trying to stay in their homes and out of nursing homes, teachers are being laid-off, and low-income college students must wait for MAP grants because of a lack of funds. How in the world can we rationalize $336.2 million in pay raises?" said Leitch.
Despite an unemployment rate of 11.4 percent and a 2.1 percent decline in personal income here in Illinois, Governor Quinn is proposing to raise the state income tax by 33% to help fill the budget shortfall.
House Resolution 1218 says no state revenue enhancements to balance the budget shall be considered until all budget expenditures are thoroughly reviewed to ensure wasteful or unnecessary spending is eliminated from the budget.
"To lead by example lawmakers opted to take 12 furlough days. Unfortunately, state employees at most agencies are not participating to that level. How can we in good conscience ask the taxpayers of this state for more of their hard-earned tax dollars when the state employees refuse to take furlough days and continue to receive pay raises?" said Leitch.