Budget Battle Could Mean Payday Delay For Illinois Judges, Staffs
From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
State court judges and staff may have to wait a while for their paychecks after July 1.
Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the Illinois courts’ budget on Thursday, among many others, prolonging a larger state spending battle against legislative Democrats that’s gone on for months. The budget includes the Illinois Supreme Court, Illinois Appellate Court and 24 circuit courts across the state.
Rauner rejected a plan advanced by Democrats that would’ve kept the courts budget flat at $344.8 million from the general revenue fund, arguing the overall budget was out of balance by nearly $4 billion and the legislature should approve more of his agenda.
But even without a budget in place, the state’s courts are expected to conduct business as usual.
The chair of the Conference of Chief Judges said this week that the courts will remain open and employees will report to work like normal on July 1 — the start of the new fiscal year — even though they may not get compensated until after a state budget is enacted.
“At some point, we will have a budget of some sort. I don’t think anybody can legitimately dispute that,” said 17th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Joseph G. McGraw, the conference’s chairman. “The question is just when, how much, and how much will be apportioned. And I don’t think we can stop essential services while we stand by like spectators.”
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
State court judges and staff may have to wait a while for their paychecks after July 1.
Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the Illinois courts’ budget on Thursday, among many others, prolonging a larger state spending battle against legislative Democrats that’s gone on for months. The budget includes the Illinois Supreme Court, Illinois Appellate Court and 24 circuit courts across the state.
Rauner rejected a plan advanced by Democrats that would’ve kept the courts budget flat at $344.8 million from the general revenue fund, arguing the overall budget was out of balance by nearly $4 billion and the legislature should approve more of his agenda.
But even without a budget in place, the state’s courts are expected to conduct business as usual.
The chair of the Conference of Chief Judges said this week that the courts will remain open and employees will report to work like normal on July 1 — the start of the new fiscal year — even though they may not get compensated until after a state budget is enacted.
“At some point, we will have a budget of some sort. I don’t think anybody can legitimately dispute that,” said 17th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Joseph G. McGraw, the conference’s chairman. “The question is just when, how much, and how much will be apportioned. And I don’t think we can stop essential services while we stand by like spectators.”
Read more in our daily News Update...