D'Amico to Refuse Legislative Salary During Government Shutdown

D’Amico to Refuse Legislative Salary during Government Shutdown

CHICAGO – State Rep. John D’Amico, D-Chicago, will refuse to accept his legislative salary while critical services for middle-class families, the elderly and the sick and disabled are halted by Gov. Bruce Rauner’s government shutdown. D’Amico told the state’s top financial officers to withhold his pay, and indicated that he will not accept any payments until a budget that provides for the needs of Illinois’ most vulnerable residents is signed into law.

“It’s my job to represent my constituents and support budgets in their best interests,” D’Amico said. “If there is no budget, it means the General Assembly isn’t doing its job to come to together and negotiate. It isn’t right to accept my paycheck when fellow state workers won’t receive theirs.”

While Rauner’s veto of the state budget threatens a number of critical state services, including in-home care for elderly residents, therapy and work placement assistance for the physically disabled, care for aging veterans, and protective shelters for children who are victims of abuse, the state’s top financial officer indicated she must continue to pay legislators. Standing with the people of his district, D’Amico sent a letter to state Comptroller Leslie Munger directing her to send him his salary in the form of a paper check, which he will not deposit until a long-term budget is passed and those in great need are able to receive state services.

While discussions on a full-year budget continue, D’Amico voted to continue funding for some of the state’s most critical services, including assistive living programs for the elderly and therapy for children with disabilities. D’Amico’s critical services budget would also provide funding for needed public safety services, GPS tracking of sexual predators, and salaries for state trooper and correctional officers.

“Illinois’ most vulnerable residents will be the victims if the governor continues to play games with the budget,” D’Amico said. “Political tactics and partisan differences need to be set aside, so we can continue serving the people who elected us. I am committed to supporting a budget that will protect the middle-class families and the services they need, and I will not accept my paycheck until a budget solution is reached.”