“This eliminates a very unnecessary perk for politicians. When families and businesses are tightening their belts and having to do more with less, we must show them that we’re willing to do the same.” – State Senator Dan Kotowski
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois legislators will see their salaries cut by nearly 5 percent under legislation signed into law today. House Bill 3188, sponsored by State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge), will result in about $900,000 taxpayer savings by requiring legislators to take six unpaid furlough days, one each month, from January-to-June of 2013.
The legislation also prohibits raises and freezes state officials’ pay, including the governor, state’s attorneys, and members of numerous state boards and commissions.
“This is another important step to changing business as usual in Springfield,” Senator Kotowski reaffirmed. “This eliminates a very unnecessary perk for politicians. When families and businesses are tightening their belts and having to do more with less, we must show them that we’re willing to do the same to restore their faith in government.”
This is the fourth straight year that Senator Kotowski and members of the Illinois Senate have voted to freeze state officials’ salaries and cut their own pay.
Continuing his focus this year on ending perks for politicians, Kotowski also voted to reform the pension system by cutting his own retirement benefits and eliminated free health care premiums for state retirees, legislators, and judges that have the means to pay for it.
These reforms are part of an overall effort to restore fiscal health to the state of Illinois. Kotowski has continued to lead the effort through his work to overhaul how the state spends taxpayers’ money.
