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Raises for state employees not a done deal

By WEEK Reporter
July 2, 2012 Updated Jul 3, 2012 at 11:20 AM CDT

CHICAGO -- The issue of whether Governor Quinn owes thousands of state workers a 2 percent raise will go back to arbitration. Earlier Monday, a Cook County judge passed on the deciding the matter.

In July 2011, Quinn denied the worker's raise because he said the state legislature did not provide him the needed $75 million. Circuit Court Judge Richard J. Billik agreed that the governor cannot spend money that has not been appropriated, even if it is contractually bound.

Four of the 14 agencies involved found money for the raises in their budget. Judge Billik said more "fact finding" was necessary to determine that the administration actually lacked the funds.

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