Jacksonville State Representative CD Davidsmeyer is co-sponsoring legislation that will block an automatic pay increase for Illinois lawmakers.
The automatic Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is based on statistics created by the Federal Bureau of Labor. Legislators would receive the increase regardless if the money is appropriated or not.
Davidsmeyer, in a press release, calls the adjustment another loophole created by politicians for politicians, and says it’s crazy that legislators who haven’t passed a budget could receive a pay raise.
The COLA would be over a $1,000-increase in legislator pay. The increase will go into effect July 1, 2016 unless legislative action is taken to stop the pay raise.