Southern Illinois News

Legislation awaiting the signature of Illinois's newly inaugurated Democratic governor to raise incoming state department heads' salaries will not do the downstate any good, former Republican State Central Committeeman Robert Winchester said during a recent interview.

"It's my understanding that the governor now has agreed to pay an increase in salary above the legislative rates already set," Winchester told Southern Illinois News. "I guess that is his business, but I still think downstate will get the short end of the stick."

Illinois taxpayers do not owe "state bureaucrats" a pay raise, Winchester said.

Illinois House | Wikipedia - Daniel Schwen

"There are good people already working in state government that would do a great job for the present salary," he said. "Most of the new hires are out of the mayor's office in Chicago and know very little about the downstate, which is a problem for downstate, and especially southern Illinois residents. Most Republicans are downstate and in the minority with little power or influence."

Winchester was state committeeman for about 26 years until he apparently was forced out as committeeman last spring. Insiders claim Winchester lost his seat as punishment for backing Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) in her strong but unsuccessful primary bid against then incumbent and now former Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Rauner lost to now Gov. J.B. Pritzker in November's General Election. Pritzker was sworn into office earlier today.

Already on Pritzker's desk is an amendment to Senate Bill 3531, which would raise salaries of state department directors, assistant directors and secretaries by 15 percent. The bill passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly's lame duck session Jan. 9, with the House vote coming in at 68 to 37. Two lawmakers voted "present."

The Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) criticized the pay raise as bad policy.

"While one might argue that high salaries could help retain and attract talent, the state is also not in a position to hastily give out large salary increases its taxpayers can’t afford," the IPI reported in an article published Jan. 8. "This is especially true considering the effects it would have on future pension payouts. Any large pay increases for state leaders should be given an appropriate amount of consideration and debate—not rammed through during the final hours of a lame-duck session."

Despite retaining control in the new General Assembly, Democrats in the lame duck session did not wait until the new legislature was inaugurated to give the bill an appropriate amount of time for negotiation and debate. There is a reason for that, Winchester said: "Because the Democrats knew that outgoing Republicans and Democrats might be more willing to vote for the legislation than new, incoming members." 

And that is not the only reason the bill was rammed through the lame duck legislature at the last minute, Winchester said.

"For the same reason as above, plus they felt that the salary increase should start on the first day of service for the new top leadership," he said.