A press release from State Rep. Allen Skillicorn:

Skillicorn Sponsors Series of Cost Cutting Bills

SPRINGFIELD – State Representative Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) is sponsoring a series of bills in the Illinois House of Representatives to cut costs and save taxpayer dollars.

• House Bill 3790 rejects the automatic pay raise for state elected officials,
• House Bill 363 prevents new General Assembly members from receiving taxpayer funded pensions, and
• House Bill 362 prevents local elected officials from also receiving taxpayer funded pensions.

Alan Skillicorn

“Illinois’ state officials are some of the highest paid in the nation, but the state can’t even pay its bills. At a time when taxpayers are leaving Illinois in mass numbers, allowing a pay increase for elected officials in ridiculous,” said Skillicorn.

“Illinois needs bold transformative reforms that cut spending, lower taxes and bring back businesses and jobs, not more pay and lavish pensions for elected officials.”

Several years ago, the 86th General Assembly approved automatic cost-of-living pay increases for Illinois’ elected state officials unless legislation is passed to prevent it.

Uniquely, unless the pay increase is statutorily eliminated for the fiscal year, the percentage increase will still be added to the calculation that determines a legislator’s pension.

By preventing the pay increase and moving to end pensions for future elected officials it will have major long-term impact toward ending Illinois’ financial woes.

Skillicorn added, “During his budget address, the Governor said to solve our financial problems we need cut spending and grow our economy by making it easier for businesses to come to Illinois and create jobs. It’s a no-brainer to keep costs down by ending elected official pensions and stopping these absurd automatic pay increases.”