News From
State Representative Mark Batinick
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Deb Kraulidis
April 18, 2016 (815) 254-0000
Rep. Mark Batinick Petitions for No Legislative Pay to Legislators if Budget Cannot be Negotiated
Plainfield – State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) has drawn up a petition stating that if an agreed upon budget is not produced by the General Assembly, legislators should not be given legislative pay. As the State enters a tenth month without a passed budget, many people reliant on State funding are rightfully concerned, and so is Rep. Batinick.
Rep. Batinick stated, “Since July of last year, I have called for legislative pay to be halted until a compromised budget is passed. I co-sponsored House Bill 4253 which halts legislative pay in times of a budget impasse. I believe if we had done this ten months ago, there would’ve been a well-compromised budget by now. Students, social service providers, and vendors have gone without funding or pay, and enough is enough.”
“No one in Springfield entered elected office to watch their schools and constituents go without proper funding. Illinoisans have called for a balanced budget that meets the demands of its people, and it is due time that a compromise is made for just that. If the budget cannot be drawn properly, and one group still believes they’re then only ones needed at the table, then legislators shouldn’t expect pay because they are not meeting the demands of their constituents.”
Rep. Batinick is asking all concerned Illinoisans to sign the petition at www.nobudgetnopayIL.com, and stands with Comptroller Leslie Munger’s recent delay of legislative pay to legislators in order to prioritize it for those that need it most.
