Raja Proposes Three-Point Pay-For-Performance Salary Plan for State Public Officials

From the Campaign Office of Raja Krishnamoorthi for Comptroller
Wednesday, December 16, 2009

SPRINGFIELD -- Raja (RAH-jah) Krishnamoorthi (krish-nuh-MOOR-thee), candidate for the Democratic nomination for Illinois State Comptroller, today proposed a three-point pay-for-performance plan to make state government more sensitive and responsive to the pressures of the economic recession.

"We are going to introduce into Illinois state government the concept of pay-for-performance," Krishnamoorthi said. "One of the main responsibilities of the governor and the legislature is to balance the state budget. In any year state government officials fail to balance the budget, they should not be eligible for an automatic cost-of-living adjustment or pay raise."

Krishnamoorthi pledged not to accept a pay raise or cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) as Comptroller until the state's budget is balanced.

"Across our state and nation today, millions of families are struggling with the economic impact of the Great Recession," Krishnamoorthi said. "It's time for public officials to acknowledge the pain these families face by reining in their own endless appetite for pay raises and cost-of-living adjustments."

Krishnamoorthi's three-point pay-for-performance plan would use the Internet to make information about the salaries of state government leaders more accessible on a central state government website.

"We need to make it easier for the people of Illinois to know just how much their government leaders are making," Krishnamoorthi said. "This fits with one of the major themes of my campaign -- making state government more open, transparent and Internet accessible."

Krishnamoorthi's three-point pay-for-performance salary plan would do the following:

• Publish salaries of all legislators, judges and executive officials online, along with the salaries of their staffs (with 5 year historical breakdown)
• Prohibit automatic COLAs and prohibit salary increases or COLAs in any budget year not having a balanced state government budget
• Refuse salary increases or COLAs while serving as Comptroller until Illinois has a balanced budget

“Few taxpayers throughout Illinois are getting pay raises, if they're fortunate enough to have a job,” Krishnamoorthi said. “Serving in elected office is a privilege, not a prize. Governing should not be about pay raises and patronage. It should be about providing open, transparent and responsive service to taxpayers.”

Krishnamoorthi served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the state of Illinois where he helped to establish an anti-corruption unit. He also worked for two years as Deputy Treasurer of Illinois, helping to bring significant reforms to the office and overseeing the custody and administration of billions of dollars in state funds.

Previously, Krishnamoorthi served as a board member and audit committee chairman of the Illinois Housing Development Authority where he helped thousands of Illinois families find affordable housing.

If elected, Krishnamoorthi would become the first Asian American to hold elected statewide office in Illinois. A lawyer and policy expert, Krishnamoorthi, 36, worked on President Barack Obama’s successful 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate, serving first as issues director and then as a senior adviser. Krishnamoorthi also advised Obama during his presidential campaign and his 2000 congressional campaign.

For more information regarding Krishnamoorthi and his campaign for Illinois State Comptroller, please visit www.rajaforillinois.com.