By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – State lawmakers and constitutional officers should expect to wait a couple of months for their next paycheck.

The fiscal year began in July but the state still doesn’t have a budget. Comptroller Leslie Munger announced Sunday that she will start putting the paychecks for state elected officials, including her own, in line with all the other bills that are backlogged. It could be June before they get their next paycheck, she said.

“In the case of payroll for elected leaders, I have the legal authority and I have the necessary vouchers, but I do not have the money,” Munger said.

She said giving priority to the state’s $1.3 million monthly payroll has pushed off payment of other bills.

“It means we cannot make a payment to a social service organization waiting for payment. It means we are slower in making payments to vendors who we can legally pay who provide services to the state,” Munger said.

Munger said the change isn’t meant to be punitive, it’s meant to be fair. “I feel like it’s unfair that we receive our pay on time when the people who we are there to serve are not receiving the payments that they are owed by the state.”

Munger said elected officials are all in this together and they will all wait in line to get paid together.

“And frankly if this action helps bring all sides together to focus on the most urgent and important task at hand, that of passing a balanced budget so that we can end this unnecessary and devastating hardship on our state, then that will be an added benefit,” Munger said.

Munger said state employees will continue to get paid on time.