Comptroller Pushing For Law Halting Elected Officials' Pay Until Balanced Budget Passes
(CBS) -- Illinois State Comptroller Leslie Munger made headlines last year when she decided state officials would no longer be paid first, and would furthermore have to get in line, like so many other vendors for the cash-strapped state.
Today, she took it one step further. Munger wants a law mandating elected officials not get paid unless a balanced budget has been passed, CBS2's Derrick Blakely reports.
"Now do you know any employer who'd pay someone for not doing their job," Munger asked, "I sure don't. Why should Illinois taxpayers have to settle for anything less? No budget, no pay. This is the right thing to do."
Still, even Munger's GOP allies agreed that's tough medicine that some republican lawmakers won't want to swallow.
State Sen. Christine Radogno (R, 41st), the Senate minority leader, agrees that it's tough medicine, but says it only fair. "Well, there's no question some people rely on their paychecks more than others, so it's tough, but on the other hand, I think it it does reflect what people, in general think. And that is, 'if you're not getting the job done, you shouldn't be paid.'"
However, the proposal is more of a political ploy than anything else, because it's highly unlikely that democrats would even take it up. Yet it does allow Munger to stake out a position many taxpayers will favor, as she faces a tough race against democrat Susan Mendoza.