Illinois' new comptroller says she'll continue the practice of waiting to pay public officials' paychecks.
Democrat Susana Mendoza took the oath of office for comptroller Monday in the statehouse rotunda. She's coming in as a handful of Democratic lawmakers are suing her office so they can be paid on time.
"I hope my former colleagues in the legislature will understand my decision to continue to prioritize the most vulnerable people in our state over payments to legislators -- unless a court instructs me to do otherwise,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza's predecessor, Republican Leslie Munger, chose to put elected officials' salaries at the bottom of Illinois' pile of more than 10 billion dollars in overdue bills.
Munger said lawmakers don't deserve preferential treatment, and that vendors and organizations dependent on state funds are waiting months to get what they're owed.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in Cook County, and alleges the delay is a political tactic that violates the separation of powers.
