People ex rel. Coons v. Howlett

The compensation of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, members of the General Assembly, judges, heads of administrative departments and other state officers has consistently been fixed by general statutes. (See e.g. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1963, chap. 53, par. 1 (Governor) ; chap. 53, par. 1 (Lieutenant Governor); chap. 63, par. 14 (legislators) ; chap. 127, pars. 9.01 — 9.16 (directors of departments.) Whenever it was desired to change the compensation so fixed, the change has been made by amending these statutes. The opinion of the majority now holds that the salary of a state officer may be…