When I was growing up, I was told if I worked hard that I would be rewarded, whether it be a raise or promotion.

Lately it seems that if you want to get a raise, all you have to do is miss deadline by two months.

This is what the state lawmakers must believe. They are giving themselves a total of two pay raises increasing their pay by more than13 percent, which is part of the already two months late budget.

This is a great idea. When I have kids someday, I am going to tell them to be late with all their homework and work deadlines. They will definitely get raises.

If this column missed deadline, I would not be working for the Daily Eastern News anymore.

Where is the state government’s boss? Oh, wait. The voters in Illinois are the supervisors of the elected officials.

I say when the time comes for their evaluations, otherwise known as Election Day voters make it known that they are getting a poor marks.

It’s time to make it known that self implemented pay raises are not warranted, especially when the budget for fiscal year 2008 is looked at.

The deadline for the budget was May 31, which requires a three-fifths majority to pass. A temporary budget was passed for July, but none for August.

On Aug. 10 the General Assembly sent an approved budget to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, which he still has not signed.

Blagojevich said he wants to cut millions of pork projects out of the budget. Not being cut out of the budget are the raises for lawmakers and him.

He plans on using the money cut from the budget to jump start health care initiatives, including expanding the Family Care and All Kids.

Earlier this year Blagojevich tried to enact a gross receipts tax to raise $6 billion in revenue for education and healthcare projects, which crashed the moment it came to a vote in the General Assembly.

If Blagojevich wants to give more health care benefits to those who cannot afford it, why not take away the pay raises?

With the pay raises Blagojevich will now make $171,000 and the part-time legislators will receive over $65,000.

Blagojevich has not made any comments that he would cut the pay hikes.

Raises should have to wait, until they can finish their job on time.