Ill. governor cuts staff pay after raises flap

[July 17, 2010]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says he's cutting all nonunion state employees' pay through unpaid days off, just weeks after it was revealed he's been giving raises of 20 percent and more.

Quinn said Friday he'll require his staff, state managers and policymakers to take 24 unpaid days off this year, up from 12 days last year. Quinn also plans to take the 24 unpaid days. He says the days off will translate into a 9.2 percent salary cut and will save the state about $18 million in fiscal year 2011.

The Democratic governor came under fire after an Associated Press analysis revealed earlier this month that he's given 43 salary increases averaging 11.4 percent to 35 staffers in his office the past 15 months. They came as the debt-ridden state struggles with a fiscal crisis.

[Associated Press]

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