QUINN, UNION DEAL: ELECTION YEAR PAY-TO-PLAY
Secret Agreement Guarantees Costly Pay Hikes at Taxpayer Expense
Chicago – Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Brady today called on Pat Quinn to renounce a secret deal with state employee union leaders, calling it an apparent example of old pay-to-play politics that will cost taxpayers millions.
“This secret, backroom deal reminds voters of pay-to-play politics,” Brady said. “It ties the hands of the next governor to fix this economic catastrophe, and proves Pat Quinn is more concerned about his political crisis than our fiscal crisis.”
Reports yesterday revealed that Quinn’s office and leaders of AFSCME, the state employee union, struck a deal at almost the same time union leaders endorsed the Governor’s re-election bid. The deal mandates increased state pay hikes, job security and no layoff guarantees in exchange for promises of future, but limited budget efficiencies.
Brady also raised the fact that the state’s budget director apparently helped negotiate the deal and also sat in on the endorsement session.
“Illinois should be outraged that the same budget aide that received a $24,000 pay hike from Pat Quinn was present at a political endorsement session with the very union leaders with whom he’s negotiating an agreement that mandates even more pay hikes.
“Unfortunately, this is part of a disturbing pattern we’ve seen from Pat Quinn,” Brady said. “He should embrace every cost-cutting measure possible, work with union leaders to freeze salaries, and avoid eleventh hour, election-year agreements that lock in more pay hikes and job security guarantees in an arrangement that reminds voters of the very pay-to-play politics that I seek to end”
Brady (R-Bloomington) is a small business owner who has represented his community as state Senator since 2002. He is running for governor to bring a clean break to Illinois and build a job-growing environment. More information can be found at www.bradyforillinois.com.
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