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 The managers who got what Quinn called "midnight raises" after The
Associated Press reported them must revert to their previous rate of
pay, IDOT spokeswoman Paris Ervin said Tuesday.
The AP revealed in March that IDOT had handed out raises to top
managers early this year. The increases took effect Jan. 16, less
than two weeks before lawmakers impeached and ousted Gov. Rod
Blagojevich and Quinn replaced him.
"It was determined these raises did not follow proper internal
procedures, and staff recommended they be rescinded and
resubmitted," Quinn spokesman Bob Reed said in a statement Tuesday.
 The requests may be resubmitted, and Ervin said most have been. Reed
could not say whether they would be approved.
The Democratic governor ordered a review of all agencies in search
of similar raises. That review is ongoing, Reed said.
Documents the AP has obtained show that while the increases took
effect Jan. 16, paperwork for many did not move until later, often
never getting an OK from the governor's office, or when Quinn's
budget aides sent the salary increase requests back to IDOT, they
were simply allowed to stand.
An e-mail released by IDOT under the Illinois Freedom of Information
Act indicates a rush on the afternoon of Jan. 29, shortly before the
state Senate voted to remove Blagojevich from office.
Then-personnel manager Scott Doubet sent Milton Sees, the agency
chief at the time, an e-mail at 2:48 p.m. with the subject line, "I
think it is that time ... "
It read, "With your permission may I please run the raises/bonuses
... that we have previously discussed?"
Sees replied, "Okay to do as requested."
Doubet was fired April 24, although Quinn's office would not say why
and Doubet declined comment. Quinn replaced Sees Feb. 27 with
veteran Democratic legislator Gary Hannig.
The increases, mostly in the 8 percent range, went as high as 31.5
percent for Nicholas Spanhook, who moved up three pay grades to take
a newly created position in the agency's office of external affairs.
Spanhook's salary increased more than $17,000 a year, to $72,000.
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 The paperwork approving a 4 percent increase for finance and
administration director Ann Schneider, to $125,300, lacks approval
not only from the governor's office, but from Sees.
Doubet approved Schneider's raise Jan. 29 -- the day Blagojevich was
removed from office and Quinn was sworn in. Schneider's name appears
as approving her own increase Feb. 2, and a month later, the form
shows Doubet "deleted" and "archived" it. Ervin said it was her
understanding Schneider did not approve her own raise.
Schneider and Spanhook did not immediately respond to requests for
comment made through Ervin.
Ervin said 16 raises were rescinded, but one employee in that group
is not among those getting Jan. 16 raises, according to documents
IDOT gave the AP in March. Ervin could not immediately explain the
discrepancy.
Quinn was particularly sensitive to the salary increases because he
is trying to convince lawmakers to approve more than $1 billion in
budget cuts and the first increase in the income tax rate in nearly
20 years as he attempts to close an $11.5 billion deficit in the
state spending plan.
[Associated Press; By JOHN O'CONNOR]
John O'Connor is an AP political writer.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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