In second day without budget, state workers wonder who will get paid

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois is operating without a budget for the second straight day.

The big question now is which state employees will get paid and who will be without a paycheck until the mess is fixed.

Twenty-four years ago, there was a state budget impasse similar to what's happening now. At that time, a judge ruled that without a budget state employees could not get paid. Still, a quarter century later, the law is murky so Thursday afternoon Attorney General Lisa Madigan and state Comptroller Leslie Munger turned to the courts for answers.

Meko Wilson is a child care provider who takes care of five children and is paid by the state. Without a state budget, she won't get paid.

"And that means parents will have to find an alternative way to find child care because I cannot operate because I have bills to pay, so I cannot operate," says Wilson.

Meko today joined other members of Action Now protesting the political stalemate in Springfield. And it does appear that for Meko and others dependent on a state paycheck, may have to do without after July 15.

"As I said before this is not a game," said Comptroller Leslie Munger at a press conference Thursday afternoon. "There are real people's lives at stake here."

Munger sought to outline who will continue to get paid and who won't. The problem is the law on it is not at all clear. Munger says those most dependent on state government - DCFS, Medicaid, food stamp recipients, the disabled - will still get aid without a budget in place, but beyond that, "ambiguity rules." So the comptroller and attorney general have jointly gone to court for legal guidance.

"We are asking the courts to clarify to make clear who we can and can't pay so I can perform the duties of my office legally," Munger said.

For much of state government, Thursday is business as usual, but it is not known how long that can go on if the state can't cut paychecks. There are questions about whether state police and first responders can be compelled to keep working with no or partial paychecks.

"I would like to see us pay all state employees," Munger said. "We're asking them to do work and do their jobs and, practically, we can't pay them minimum wage, because our systems cannot manage that."

"I think they should stay all day and all night to resolve this," says Wilson. "They're getting paid. We're not."

It is a holiday weekend, so answers won't be quick in coming. The court case seeking guidance has been assigned to Cook County Chancery Court judge Diane Larson who is due to hear it initially Tuesday morning, the same day legislators are back in Springfield to resume budget warfare.