LITCHFIELD - State Representative Avery Bourne (R-Raymond) is co-sponsoring legislation that would deny lawmakers their paychecks if there is no balanced budget. The State of Illinois is currently in its ninth month of a budget impasse that has no end in sight.
The bill demands that within 30 days of the enactment of a budget, the Auditor General’s Office must certify that the budget will be balanced with expenses not exceeding expected revenue. If the Auditor General declares that the budget is not balanced then the Comptroller will:
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Stop payment for the salary of General Assembly members and Constitutional Officers; and
Within 10 days of the Auditor General’s certification that the budget is not balanced, the General Assembly must convene to enact a new state budget.
Rep. Bourne commented on the necessity of the bill:
“The need for common sense legislation like this is stronger than ever,” said Bourne. “We’re in our ninth month without a concrete financial plan and no one is being held accountable to the taxpayers. For years, our constituents have watched helplessly as the legislature passed unbalanced budget after unbalanced budget. It’s about time that the legislature put forth the necessary effort to give us something that is truly balanced or not get paid.”
The effect of years of bad budgeting has left Illinois struggling to pay its bills. This week, the Comptroller’s office reported that over the last six years, the money paid by the State of Illinois in late fees has topped $900 million. According to Comptroller Leslie Munger, Illinois is on course to develop a backlog of unpaid bills and invoices that could top $10 billion before the end of the current, budget-less fiscal year.
Do you agree with Rep. Avery Bourne's proposal to stop payment to legislators if there is no budget?
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