Illinois has stopped paying its bills, but is giving out large pay raises to people who work for the governor

Quinn was already behind in the polls, but this news can't help.

So Illinois' answer? Just stop paying the bills and see what happens!!

That's not a joke - that's what they're doing!

Residents across the board in that state are struggling with an uncertain future and dwindling pensions.

That is unless you work for Pat Quinn - the governor is handing out raises to all his employees.

Here are the numbers: the Democrat leader has given 43 salary increases - averaging 11.5% to 35 staffers in the past 15 months, according to the Associated Press.

Ironically, the state's budget director, David Vaught, made out the best--he got a 20% raise or $24,000!

And the deputy budget director -Gladyse Taylor - got a 10.5% bump!

What makes this actually offensive is that in other parts of the state they're not talking about getting raises - they're trying to keep their jobs.

In almost every district of the state - thousands of teachers have lost their jobs and health centers have shut down.

Published reports say the University of Illinois has yet to receive 45% of the money owed to them.

The unemployment rate for the state nears 11% and the state ranks in the top five of states with the most foreclosures. . . .

UPDATE: Now Illinois gives large pay raise to 40,000 state workers.

40,000 Illinois State Workers To Get 14% Payraises
Updated: Wednesday, 07 Jul 2010, 1:10 PM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 06 Jul 2010, 10:23 PM CDT

By Mike Flannery, FOX Chicago News

Springfield, Ill. - More than 40,000 unionized state workers got a pay raise last Thursday, bringing to 7 percent the amount they're gotten since last year. These same state employees are in line for another 7 percent by next July 1, all at a cost of a half-billion tax dollars a year.

It's more than the virtually bankrupt state can afford, and some Republican lawmakers say the raises need to be rolled back.

"I'm outraged," said State Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. "It's very difficult to buy this rhetoric that, 'We need to borrow, we need increased revenue,' when these kind of poor management decisions are going on." . . .

AFSCME said it's outrageous that Republicans like Radogno have "done nothing to help solve the state's financial problems." The union argues that the state needs to raise taxes. AFSCME's chief negotiator in Illinois, Union International Vice President Henry L. Bayer, responded to Radogno.

"I'm outraged Sen. Radogno and her fellow Republicans have done nothing to help solve the state's financial problem,” Bayer said. " Where would she cut $9 billion? It can't be done with just cuts. We need more revenue." Bayer and other union leaders strongly support tax increases. . . .

I love how the union now attacks the TV station.

"Fox neglected to mention that Illinois has the nation's fewest state employees per capita. Manufactured controversies like this misinform the public and insult the men and women of state government who care for the disabled, aid the unemployed, prevent child abuse, analyze crime-scene evidence, keep our prisons safe, and perform all the other essential services Illinois residents rely on every day," the AFSCME spokesman said.

Quinn's actions now apparently are very difficult to undo. I suppose that the state could decertify the union and then scrap the contract to get the money back.

The contractual raises are now legally locked in. Any roll back could come only with the union's agreement. Bayer has said that would require a vote of the rank and file state workers AFSCME represents. A threat of massive layoffs would be the most likely source of leverage for any future state official wanting to re-open the union contract.