SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Soon to marry one of Illinois’ most powerful politicians, Lorrie Rickman Stone was promoted to a new state job in September 2005.

Two months later, she wed Senate President Emil Jones. And two months after that, her salary had soared by nearly $70,000.

The Blagojevich administration created a special salary class for her position, so the psychologist – now Lorrie Rickman Jones – saw her pay rise from $116,460 to $186,000, a 60 percent increase, The Associated Press found after a review of state documents.

Her raise took effect two weeks before the new job classification was officially created and 4 1/2 months before the classification received final legislative approval.

Jones’ job as mental health director involves a budget of more than $700 million and supervising 10 state facilities chiefs responsible for 3,000 employees – larger than most agencies under the governor, the administration said.

She makes more than the governor and is among the agency’s two-dozen highest-paid employees – all physicians.

In an e-mailed statement, a department spokesman said Jones’ salary was “commensurate with the experience and education required to fulfill the significant responsibilities that go with the job.”

DHS argued the salary increase simply gave Jones, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, the same pay as her predecessor, a physician.

But the agency used a separate process to approve Jones’ pay and despite arguing she deserved the same salary, didn’t pay her the full amount initially. She got a 30 percent raise, to $151,000, when she took the promotion and then received a 23 percent bump four months later.

Emil Jones, a Chicago Democrat and Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s most ardent legislative ally, declined to be interviewed. Spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer said the senator had nothing to do with his wife’s promotion or raise.

“Dr. Jones is an accomplished professional,” Davidsmeyer said.

Lorrie Rickman Jones did not respond to a request for comment.

State law limits the amount of money ordinarily paid to employees, but the Department of Human Services wanted to give Jones more. To do that, the agency proposed a special job category that applied only to her.

The administration asked the Civil Service Commission to approve the new classification, arguing that it was necessary to attract high-quality candidates for a demanding job. But Jones was already in the job.

The commission voted on Sept. 15, 2005, but its OK didn’t take effect until Oct. 1, according to commission documents and officials. DHS insists it took effect Sept. 15, and that’s when the agency officially raised her salary from $9,705 a month to $12,605.

She didn’t get the money until mid-October, when DHS put an extra $3,000 in her check as pay retroactive to Sept. 15.

State law prohibits back pay for work already performed.

Jones, 53, worked in private practice before joining the department in Jan. 2002. She served as a manager based at the Madden Mental Health Center in Hines, making $110,220, and later as a DHS deputy director, earning $116,460 starting in Sept. 2003.