Lame-duck Illinois lawmakers vote themselves a 16% raise

By JOHN O’CONNOR
AP Political Writer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois House Democrats working in a lame-duck session left town for a weekend break Friday night — but not before voting on plans to give themselves a pay raise of nearly 16%. Legislation authorizing funds to be added for spending needs halfway through the state’s fiscal year includes an $11,655 raise in base pay, to $85,000. It won approval from the Democratic-controlled House by a 63-35 vote. A raise of 15.9% is unheard of in recent times. Secretive House action in 2019 inserted a 2.4% cost-of-living adjustment to increase base salaries to about $67,800. It was the first increase since 2008.