Gov. J.B. Pritzker is beginning to reveal some more details to questions about how he’ll handle payouts to state workers and Illinois’ woefully underwater pension systems.

In a news conference about putting further oversight on the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Pritzker was asked about how he would pay for the union wage increases he’d promised on his first full day on the job. He wasn’t clear on funding but did say that his administration would soon pay the back wage increases the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 31 had fought former Gov. Bruce Rauner in court over.

“We’re living up to the court orders,” he said. “It wasn’t being done by prior administrations and that’s our job to follow the law.”

Rauner’s office maintained that the General Assembly hadn’t appropriated the funds for the step increases, which are raises based on time in the state position, not tied to merit. After unfavorable court decisions, the raises were ordered to be paid out last fall, with Rauner’s office saying they may not be able to pay for the increases valued near $400 million.

Pritzker also hinted that the state would soon pay more into its underfunded pension system and letting expected economic growth over time make the payments more manageable.

“You can grow your way, as a state and as an economy, if you can flatten out the payments,” he said. “We have to address our pensions first with the principle that everybody that is owed a pension should get the pension that they’re owed.”

Illinois public workers are among of the highest paid in the nation with an average salary of about $60,000 a year.