Time to can sneaky raises for Illinois legislators

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

The base salary for state legislators is $67,836, although only 25 of the 177 legislators are currently at the base level. Most receive at least $10,000 more because of leadership posts or committee assignments, with the top leaders making close to $100,000.

I don't consider those pay levels particularly outlandish, especially when you realize that the salary for Chicago aldermen is now at $104,101 a year.

Froehlich, though, said Illinois legislators are still the highest-paid part-time state lawmakers in the nation.

Many legislators hold other jobs, including a whole bunch of them in high-paying positions on the city of Chicago's payroll, which seems especially gross during a time of threatened mass city layoffs.

This dubious practice also entitles them to two pensions when they retire -- one from each job.

And those pensions have their own COLAs.