SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers on Tuesday took the first step toward paying the state's 44 regional superintendents of education, most of whom have gone since July 1 without a paycheck.

Two separate House committees approved legislation (HB 3847) that would pay the regional superintendents with money from the state personal property replacement tax, a fund that is projected to yield about $1.2 billion this year.

For years the regional superintendents have been paid with general revenue fund money, but Gov. Pat Quinn has maintained that the offices should be eliminated. Short of that, he wants them financed with local funds. The corporate personal property replacement tax currently helps fund municipal governments and local school districts. Those taxing districts have voiced opposition to the Quinn initiative, arguing that it will divert $14 million that is intended for their needs.

Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, said that local officials have told him they fear "that this is the beginning of larger raids on these funds."

But a Quinn administration official said Tuesday that she doesn't anticipate more diversions.

"I don't expect there will be significant or any changes necessarily beyond this," said Julie Smith, the governor's deputy chief of staff. "I'm not going to say never. I've learned enough to never say never. But I think the attempt was made to identify those that were appropriate, and I think it was a thorough review."

Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, called the lack of pay for the regional superintendents "an embarrassment and an injustice."

"What we're doing here is entirely right and responsible and ethical for those who have done so much within our community, and particularly I speak about downstate. They do a tremendous job," he said.

Some Republicans on the House Appropriations-Elementary and Secondary Education Committee said they wanted to override Quinn's veto of the general revenue funding for the regional superintendents, but Democrats ignored the suggestion and provided most of the votes for the compromise bill now going to the House floor.

Jane Quinlan, the regional superintendent for Champaign and Ford counties, attended the committee hearings. She declined to express an opinion on the bill.

"I'm staying out of how we get paid. I'm just hoping we get paid," she said.

Four of the regional superintendents already have resigned from their elected positions and another will quit in November, according to Bob Daiber, the regional superintendent in Madison County and the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools.