Prairie State Wire

CHICAGO – Given the COVID-19 pandemic, its subsequent economic shutdown, and the need for emergency funding, a staff attorney and labor policy director for the Illinois Policy Institute said Gov. J.B. Pritzker should freeze automatic pay raises for state workers.

“Pritzker should join other Democratic governors in postponing automatic pay raises, which would free up funds for needy Illinoisans and potentially preserve state workers' jobs in the long run,” Mailee Smith said in a op-ed piece on the Illinois Policy Institute website.  

As of May 15, Illinois reported 90,369 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 4,058 deaths. 

Smith said almost 1.5 million residents of Illinois – representing 24% of the state’s workforce – are vulnerable to layoffs and reduced hours because of the pandemic. Over 1.09 million filed unemployment claims in the past eight weeks. 

“The mounting economic crisis is certain to be accompanied by a steep drop in state tax revenues,” Smith said. “A University of Illinois study estimated anywhere between $4.3 billion and $14.1 billion. Illinois lawmakers and the governor will need to allocate funds to deal with the most urgent budget priorities.”

An estimated $261 million in state worker automatic pay raises are scheduled to be paid via hikes approved before the virus emergency began in the U.S.   

“Pritzker would give the state more room to address urgent budget priorities while also helping to forestall state worker layoffs down the line," Smith said. "Illinois was home to one of the worst economies in the nation last year, and that was before the COVID-19-induced crash.”

Smith said government employees are set to receive at least two raises. On July 1, a general increase in pay of 2.1%, which will cost the state $47 million, will take effect. Additional "step" increases for an additional year of service also will cost the state at least $214 million.

Smith said state workers would rather keep their jobs than face layoffs because of damage to the economy.

The Illinois Policy Institute is a libertarian, nonprofit think tank with offices in Chicago and Springfield. Founded in 2002, the nonprofit is active in education policy, pension policy and consideration of state budget issues.