Despite tough fiscal times that have led to belt-tightening, some DuPage County Board members and several countywide elected officials would receive pay raises next year under a proposal being considered by the County Board.
It reportedly calls for the 18 board members who will be elected in November to make $42,000 a year. Half the members already earn that much, and the rest make $35,643. It’s not known whether any additional raise is being considered.
The proposal also reportedly calls for members who serve as chairmen or vice chairmen on any of the board’s 11 committees to receive an additional $2,000 to $5,000 a year.
Board members make different amounts because state law forbids elected officials from voting themselves pay increases. In 2000, the last time the board approved a pay increase–which was two-step, 37 percent raise–it only applied to those who were about to be elected. But this time, because of reapportionment, the pay scale for all board members would be the same because all the seats are up for election.
The package also reportedly includes 3 percent to 5 percent increases for several countywide elected positions, including board chairman, treasurer, clerk and sheriff, all of which are up for election.
Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom receives $92,286 a year, Treasurer John Novak $99,238, Clerk Gary King $99,236 and Sheriff John Zaruba $112,55.
Schillerstrom, who must sign off on any salary increase proposal, on Thursday was still deciding on specific details. He is expected to make the proposal public Friday.
The proposal then will be passed to the County Board’s Finance Committee, which is expected to vote on it Tuesday. If it is backed by that panel, the County Board will be asked to vote on it later Tuesday.
County Board member Edward Merkel (R-Elmhurst) said he supports a pay increase because the 18-member board that will be elected in November will have more work to do in coming years than the current 24-member board has had.
The County Board is losing six seats after the election because of state legislation written specifically for DuPage that splits the County Board and Forest Preserve Commission. Now, county commissioners also serve as forest preserve commissioners, but after the election, the County Board will have 18 members and the Forest Preserve Commission six members.
Legislators split the two governmental bodies because they thought serving on both was a conflict of interest.
“Losing those six people means the remaining 18 board members are going to have to pick up the slack,” said Merkel, who is retiring after his term ends this year. County Board members will lose the $2,500 stipend they receive for Forest Preserve Commission work. Members of that new board will earn the same as County Board members.
