Quincy Reporter

Illinois State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) recently spoke against the passage of a supplemental budget, which included numerous pay raises for state leaders.

"State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) says Democrat leaders forced through an irresponsible spending bill during a lame-duck, after-hours, Sunday-night vote on legislation that was quickly signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker," Sen. Tracy wrote in a Jan. 9 Facebook post.

Filed by Rep. Greg Harris on Jan. 6, 2023, Senate Bill 1720 lays out increases in pay for the heads of several departments, including the Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Aging, Department of Agriculture and others.

NPR Illinois noted that the Governor, Lt. Governor, Comptroller and Treasurer will all see pay increases with the passage of this bill. "Under the pay schedules outlined in the bill, salaries of the lieutenant governor, comptroller and treasurer would increase from $143,400 to $160,900; and the attorney general’s and secretary of state’s from $165,400 to $183,300."

"The support by Democrat leaders of such a self-centered vote shows that their claims of working on behalf of the average Illinois resident are suspect," Tracy said according to a press release. "Very few hard-working, tax-paying Illinoisans are allowed to give themselves a raise, as well as supply their boss with a pot full of cash for pet projects,” Tracy said. “Families are struggling to stay afloat financially, as costs are spiraling higher as a result of bad decisions by some government officials about spending priorities."

The State Journal-Register noted that these increases will go into effect for statewide officeholders on Jan. 9, and went into effect on Jan. 4 for legislators.