By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – It has been more than two months since Illinois’ elected state officials have been paid, and they’ll have to continue waiting while the state struggles to pay its bills.

Despite failing to pass a budget, Illinois lawmakers have their pay coming to them. It’s just a matter of when.

Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger announced in April that she would put lawmaker and constitutional officer pay, including her own, in the back of the line with other required payments.

Munger said if social service providers have to wait for their checks, it’s only fair elected officials wait. “We ought to be walking in the same shoes as everyone else who has to live with the situation in this state.”

The last round of lawmaker pay went out March 31. Paychecks were again due April 30, but those are expected to be delivered in late June or early July, Munger said. And that’s dependent on whether there’s enough revenue to back up the checks.

As of June 7, Illinois’ backlog of bills stood at more than $7 billion.

Munger said there has been resistance from some lawmakers.

“They’re very angry with me for doing this, and I hear comments that it’s not fair, that they’re having difficulty paying their mortgages or child care payments and other things,” Munger said.

With the legislative session over and the state still lacking a budget, Munger said lawmakers are feeling the pinch that some social service providers and vendors have felt all year.

The total monthly payroll for lawmakers and constitutional officers is $1.3 million.

Meanwhile, other state employees continue to get paid because of a court order issued in 2015.