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DuPage County employee salaries, 2011
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DuPage County employee salaries are public record under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
Salaries
DuPage County officials did not respond to a public records request for data on county employee salaries, particularly those individuals earning more than $150,000 annually. Sunshine Review requested the information for the years 2008-2011.
According to a database compiled by the Better Government Association, there are 11 DuPage County employees earning more than $150,000.[1]
- Frederic Blackfield, the chief financial officer, earns $162,782
- Chris Kachiroubas, the circuit court clerk, earns $167,900
- Director of Transportation John Kos earns $168,515
- State's Attorney Robert Berlin earns $166,508
- Chief Information Officer Donald Carlsen earns $150,000
- Nancy Wolfe, first assistant state's attorney, earns $156,816.45
- Stormwater Director Anthony Charlton earns $159,697
- Coroner Jeff Harkey earns $153,509.7
- Sheriff John Zaruba earns $167,298
- Elizabeth Welch, convalescent center administrator, earned $150,512
Salaries for County Board Members are:
- County Board Chairman Dan Cronin earns $127,840
- County Board member Paul Fichtner earns $50,079
- County Board member Rita Gonzalez earns $50,079
- County Board member Donald Puchalski earns $50,079
- County Board member Patrick O'Shea earns $50,079
- County Board member Jeff Redick earns $50,079
- County Board member Brien Sheahan earns $50,079
- County Board member John Curran earns $50,079
- County Board member Brian Krajewski earns $50,079
- County Board member Michael McMahon earns $50,079
- County Board member Grant Eckhoff earns $48,620
- County Board member JR McBride earns $50,079
- County Board member Debra Olson earns $48,620
- County Board member James Healy earns $50,079
- County Board member John Zediker earns $50,079
- County Board member Dirk Enger earns $50,079
- County Board member Robert Larsen earns $50,079
- County Board member James Zay earns $50,079
Salaries for other elected officials making below $150,000 are:
- County Auditor Bob Grogan earns $135,762
- County Clerk Gary King earns $134,958
- County Recorder Greg Bucholz earns $135,762
- County Treasurer Gwen Henry earns $131,808
- Darlene Ruscitti, regional superintendent of education, receives $30,112 from the county. Her total salary, which includes state funds, is $130,000.[2]
Benefits
According to the county web site, the county offers two choices of medical coverage, a Participating Provider Plan (PPO) or an HMO. The HMO plan provides 100% coverage and includes a comprehensive physician network, prescription and vision benefits. The PPO plan provides prescription and vision benefits, as well.[3]
DuPage County provides employees and their families income protection in the event of disability, retirement or death through IMRF. Generally, each employee contributes 4.5% of his or her gross salary to the fund. DuPage County also contributes to the fund.[3]
Salary records project
In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. The editors of Sunshine Review selected eight states with relevant political contexts (listed alphabetically):
1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan
5. New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. The purpose of this selection method was to develop articles on governments affecting the most citizens.
The salary information garnered from these states were a combination of existing online resources and state Freedom of Information Act requests sent out to the governments.
A study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia said the city of Philadelphia faced challenges owing to the cost of public employee pensions.[4] The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the city’s ability to use its budget effectively.
The report said there were more individuals receiving pension benefits—33,907 claimants in 2006—than workers in the city—28,701.[4] The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.[4]
Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. This project aimed to close the gap and provide a more accurate picture of public employee salaries for the sake of public education and transparency.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Better Government Association, "Payroll Database" (dead link)
- ↑ Daily Herald, "DuPage will pay regional school chief," August 24, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 DuPage County, Human Resources Department - Employee benefits information
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 '’Philadelphia’s Quiet Crisis: The Rising Cost of Employee Benefits, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, January 23, 2008
