FAT CATS

Blago's Last Minute Raises

Transit officials received 10K during budget crisis.

Missed your favorite Tennyson-quoting governor? Lucky for you: The Associated Press has discovered that disgraced pol Rod Blagojevich likely boosted the pay of nearly a dozen Department of Transportation officials during his final eccentric weeks in office. The raises from mid-January average $6,000, and were enacted after a cost-of-living boost. “These fat raises for top managers would be out of line in any context,” said a spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, adding, “They're especially disgusting given the state's huge budget hole and terrible staff shortage.” Blago’s replacement, Pat Quinn, will review the increases.