Executive Report

Pay raises all set unless legislature acts

ALONG with everything else the General Assembly has to deal with this session is a decision by the Illinois Compensation Review Board to give 500 of the state's top government officials a two-step raise. Lawmakers have 30 session days (until June 30) to take action on the report. They can either reject the report or make across-the-board reductions. No action means an automatic pay raise.

The board was created in 1983 by the General Assembly in response to public outcry after the 1977 lame duck legislature voted to increase the salaries of their successors. Most legislators received a raise last January after the 83rd General Assembly accepted the board's initial report. Since state law prohibits a pay raise from occurring while the person is in office, constitutional officers and mid-term senators haven't yet received raises.

In its April 23 report, the board set new wage increases at 4.5 percent, effective July 1, 1986, with another 5 percent jump on July 1, 1987. Whoever is sworn in as governor in January 1987 would get $88,825 until July 1, when he would get $93,266, instead of the current $58,000. The two-step increases apply to all officials. By July 1, 1987, members of the 85th General Assembly could receive another $3,161 over the current base of $32,500. In addition, the leadership positions would get an increase of $300 to $500 in their bonus pay. The auditor general and his deputy would also receive a pay hike.

All judges would receive new increases, but less than suggested by Jerold Solovy, chairman of the Special Commission on the Administration of Justice in Cook County. He said circuit court judges should be paid $110,000, pointing out that many of the state's most influential lawyers earn more than judges. Solovy said the increase would attract "our very best legal talent." By July 1, 1987, circuit court judges, who currently receive $73,000, could earn $80,099; associate judges, $74,613, an increase of $14,000; appellate court judges could receive $87,780, an increase of $7,780; and Supreme Court judges $93,266, an increase of $8,266.

Raises were given to the directors of the governor's 26 code departments, as well as members of 23 appointed boards, commissions and special offices. Depending on their terms, and the will of the General Assembly, they could benefit from the July 1 increase.

Nora Newman Jurgens

June 1986/Illinois Issues/35