Illinois governor to veto pay raises for state officials

Associated Press WriterCHICAGO (AP) -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Wednesday he will veto pay raises for the state's constitutional officers, judges and lawmakers as part of $22 million in cuts to the state budget the General Assembly just approved.

Blagojevich said he will also cut money, put in the budget over his objection, that would continue to fund more than 200 captains' jobs in the state Department of Corrections.

Blagojevich said he was making the amendatory vetoes to the $52 billion budget passed late Saturday by lawmakers because tough choices are still needed to make sure the state's roughly $5 billion deficit is erased.

"In these difficult times when state agencies are being consolidated, when the number of state personnel is being reduced, in short, when others are being asked to sacrifice, this is not the time to give pay raises to the governor, the lieutenant governor, to the constitutional offices, to the men and women of the General Assembly or to the Supreme Court, appellate court or the circuit court judges," Blagojevich said.

The pay raises for all 177 lawmakers, which would cost roughly $790,000, were to take effect automatically because lawmakers did not pass a bill to reject them.

Last year, lawmakers rejected cost-of-living raises for themselves and some judges. Pay raises for judges were approved this year. Blagojevich said the judicial raises would cost $3.7 million.