Executive & Constitutional Officer Pay

My opponent, Mr. Wreh, accused me of supporting an outrageous 31% pay increase for some of the County constitutional officers and the County Executive. Later, a Wreh supporter wrote a letter saying I voted for a 20% increase. The fact is, I never voted for an increase in either amount. While the resolution’s primary sponsor had it drafted for a 31% increase, my support was for an increase that matched that of their employees over the last four years.

Pay cannot be modified during an elected official’s term. Therefore, the Board considers adjusting the compensation for elected positions in the months before an office is up for election. This must be set prior to the period of circulating nomination papers for the office. For the County Clerk, Register of Deeds, and Treasurer, the elections are even years commensurate with the presidential election, and candidates start circulating nomination papers in April. In two years, the Board will consider the compensation of the Clerk of Courts and Sheriff.

My substitute resolution provides a pay increase of 14% in 2025. That’s a large one-time increase. However, it is equal to the aggregate of Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) pay increases their employees received beyond theirs over the last four years. The county provided their employees COLA increases to cope with inflation. It’s only fair the constitutional officers are given the same. My substitute resolution had overwhelming support, was approved 30 to 6 (1 absent), and County Executive Parisi signed it.

By talking in percentages, Mr. Wreh paints a picture of outrageous rates. Looking at the actual dollar amounts provides important context. On March 12th, Mr. Wreh and the rest of the Village Board voted to give the Village Administrator a 6% raise, taking his pay higher than the County Executive’s, and the constitutional officers’ pay approved for 2025.