The Journal Star is reporting that some County employees are getting no raises next year, even as union workers get “substantial [pay] increases” and there seems to be plenty of money for non-essential projects and travel. To make matters worse, there’s this:
…while some elected officials won’t get a raise next year, it’s a net loss because the state of Illinois isn’t providing the full $6,500 annual stipend for most elected officials. County officials say that’s not their burden to bear.
“The stipend was never from the county; it’s not part of the county, it’s a state issue,” said committee member Steve Morris. “The county shouldn’t start stepping into the shoes of the state for payment for what the state has created.”
Really? The county shouldn’t step into the shoes of the state for payment for what the state has created? Didn’t the county just give a the Peoria Regional Office of Education a $1 million line of credit to meet payroll? I guess the ROE’s employees are more important than the county’s own employees.
This strikes me as one of the issues where CJ would also criticize the county if it did the exact opposite.
Sud: I believe “the workman is worthy of his hire.” And I believe in cost-of-living increases as well as merit increases. If the raise were ridiculously large, like the recent raises at D150, yes, I would probably criticize the County. But I don’t begrudge anyone reasonable wage increases to keep up with inflation and as a reward for good work.
CJ, the CPI (all items) was DOWN last year by 0.4%. IMO, no one should get a cost of living increase in a year that the cost of living (inflation) went down.
Also, don’t you think there is a difference in providing a line of credit (to be repaid and with virtually no risk) vs. assuming another’s “obligations” (the county paying a stipend the state no longer provides)?
Amen, Jon. Its too bad that governments do not have more ability to control the rising costs of employee wages. Unions probably have too much leverage. But in times like this, I don’t begrudge governments from trying to control the costs they can. I’d be interested to know what these elected officials make right now. I do too believe that “the workman is worthy of his hire,” but sometimes our leaders need to sacrifice.
Cost of living?? Most of the private sector gets no such thing. In fact, many industries hit hard by the economic downturn have had wages cuts and certainly many have had their wages frozen for going on 2 years now and bonuses have also evaporated.
Government should do the same.
Jon — I was making a general statement about my feelings about government workers getting raises. I wasn’t making a specific recommendation for this year.
I don’t believe that the loan to the ROE carries “virtually no risk.” The taxpayers are already paying off millions of dollars for a “virtually no risk” loan (Firefly). Whenever you’re dealing with the state, there’s a risk. They could decide to cut funding to the ROE the same way they cut the stipend for certain county workers.
Frustrated — How much should we mimic private business in conducting public business? Private businesses do indeed cut salaries to low-level employees, but at the same time, they also give huge bonuses to the top brass. There are certainly things the public sector can learn from the private sector; exploiting workers shouldn’t be one of them.
FYI: As a Federal employee, I have had no COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment) in my pay for over 2 years. As for regular pay, if it wasn’t for the union, I would have taken a big cut. Of course no big shot CEO or upper management would work without a contract so I have no problem with my union’s contract. But, the contract is up in November and you can bet all the talk will be cuts.
C.J. is right on the money (literally) about the business model exploiting the workers. In fact, Paul Vallas–an advocate of the business model for education and the man Ardis wanted to bring to Peoria to tell us how to reform education–made this statement, “I don’t want the majority of my staff to work more than 10 years. The cost of sustaining those individuals becomes so enormous,” he says. “Between retirement and health care and things like that.” He expects these teachers in New Orleans (where he is CEO) to work 12 hours a day and on Saturdays–no wonder they will need health care after ten years. Yet he sets up charter schools everywhere he goes and pays companies, like Edison (and sometimes Edison) millions of dollars to run the schools.
Do you not recall what Erik Bush said on this blog about the line of credit?
“Specifically, the revenue sources are cash paid by the state to those whom it has contract with. The issue isn’t that the state won’t, but when.”
So sure, the state can decide to cut funding to the ROE – but that affects services going forward – NOT past services for which the state is contractually obligated to pay and upon which the line of credit was granted.
Careful Sharon, you are beginning to sound more and more like kcdad.
There’s nothing new about that–that has often been the case. This time even C.J. sounded a bit like kcdad. 🙂 The only difference between “kcdad” and me is that “he” wants to destroy capitalism whereas I just want it to be regulated–and to watchdog its unethical behaviors.
Cj,
This just effects “elected officials”. The stipends were lobbied by the elected officials to help pay, mostly at smaller counties. The reason the is no pay raises is because the pay of elected officials is set for four years before their election, by May 30th for positions elected in November. The elected officials that were elected two years ago got raise for the following four years.
yup… like this… May 26, 2010″The Deepwater Horizon is insured for total loss coverage and for wreck removal, to the extent removal can be carried out and is required. The total insured value of the rig is $560 million. ”
$560 million in insurance… how much of that will go to cleanup??? Or will it go back into the company to cover this: May 26, 2010
“said it plans to report earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2010, on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 5, 2010, following the close of trading in the United States.”
I just love the internet…
http://www.deepwater.com/fw/main/News-748.html?c=113031&p=irol-news&nyo=0
After all… May 20, 2010
“-Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (SIX: RIGN), the world’s largest offshore drilling contractor, announced that its shares will begin trading on SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) today under the symbol (RIGN). Transocean’s shares also trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol (RIG). ”
I just love capitalism
“It wasn’t our accident, but we are absolutely responsible for the oil, for cleaning it up, and that’s what we intend to do,” BP Group CEO Tony Hayward told NBC
BP is gonna clean it up… so who gets $560 million?
Note the most salary increase any of these elected officials will receive is 2%. For 011 none of them will get a raise of any kind. So if the economy recovers and inflation is running at say 3.5% their pay will go up just 2%.
Oh now I feel better. Those poor elected officials will only get 2%. Of course 2% of some of their salaries is more than some people make in a week. I think all elected officials should take a huge cut in pay with the shape things are in. Don’t like it? Then show them the door. Savings!!
That’s why they always report it as a percentage…
“I only get a 2% raise (of my $150,000 salary) and you get a 5% raise (on your $20,000 salary)…” <— That looks pretty good.
or
"I get 3,000 and you 1,000" <— THAT doesn't look as good. "I'm gonna invest my raise and you can spend yours on food."
C.J. – I think in terms of pay and benefits, the gov’t should lag slightly the going rate of the marketplace, cetainly not lead it.
The question was asked what do Peoria County officials make.
That information will be on my blog site tomorrow.
Some elected officials (not many, but some) are simply volunteers and they use that stipend to do the work they are elected to do.
I tried Googling salaries for these positions. Why can’t the county include this info on their website?
Frustrated, I agree. Many elected officials should be public servants.
Unfornately their salaries (by law) must be determined pre-election for the length of their term and not on a year-to-year basis.
That good old 27th amendment to the US Constitution surfaces once again.
hERE IS A REAL COST OF LIVING ! From Medscape Medical News
21.2% Medicare Pay Cut Will Take Effect Monday
Robert Lowes
February 26, 2010 — Unless a minor bipartisan miracle happens in Congress over the next few days, physicians will go over the cliff on Monday. That’s when a scheduled 21.2% cut in Medicare reimbursement takes effect.
Leaders of organized medicine call this reduction “the cliff” because, in their view, many physicians will not be able to afford to see new Medicare patients, or even stay in the federal program, or even stay in practice if their Medicare pay drops by more than one fifth. They also call it a cliff for seniors who may not be able to find a physician willing to treat them.
For months, congressional Democrats have tried to pass legislation to avert the massive pay cut, which was triggered by the notorious sustainable growth rate formula that Medicare uses to set physician reimbursement. However, Democrats were once again thwarted this week when Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) blocked a bill that would have extended the deadline 30 days. Sen. Bunning said he couldn’t live with the bill, which also would have temporarily extended unemployment benefits, COBRA subsidies, and other programs, because Senate Democrats hadn’t figured out a way to pay for it, and thus would be adding to the already swollen federal deficit.
The House passed a similar measure on Thursday, but it takes 2 chambers of Congress and a president’s signature to make a law.
Senate Democrats will attempt to set a new effective date for the 21.2% Medicare pay cut with another bill that they plan to introduce next week, said Regan Lachapelle, deputy communications director for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). Lachapelle told Medscape Medical News that this bill would grant long-term extensions for a variety of federal initiatives. “The doc fix would be longer than 30 days,” she said.
Lachapelle said there was no likelihood that the Senate would introduce this second bill addressing the Medicare pay cut before Monday.
If physicians are true to their warnings, Medicare patients next week may experience difficulty making an appointment. A recent poll conducted by several medical societies representing neurosurgeons, for example, revealed that almost 40% would cut back on seeing new Medicare patients if reimbursement continues to decline, while 18% would stop accepting new Medicare patients altogether. Another 27% said they would treat fewer established Medicare patients.
[CLOSE WINDOW]
Authors and Disclosures
Journalist
Robert Lowes
Freelance writer, St. Louis, Missouri
Disclosure: Robert L. Lowes has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
“Sen. Bunning said he couldn’t live with the bill,”
So go jump off a tall building… and let the rest of live our lives… jackass.
EmergePeoria
May 4th, 2010 at 7:25 am
Some elected officials (not many, but some) are simply volunteers and they use that stipend to do the work they are elected to do.
Emerge …. Exactly. Are commenters suggesting that elected officials should not receive compensation for their time and resources spent on creating and carrying out public policy?
Karrie – I don’t see anyone suggesting as such.
one:
FYI …………..
http://www.peoriacounty.org/countyBoard/files/get/Committee_Agenda_and_Minutes%2F2010%2FApril%2F27+-+Management+Services%2FManagement+Services+Agenda+Packet+2010-04-27+15-00.pdf
Please scroll to page 116 — 2010 salaries
Peoria County Clerk — $88,776
Peoria County Treasurer — $88,776
Peoria County Sheriff — $106,806
Karrie my comment is in reference to elected officials who receive stipends not salary.
Is anyone else shocked by the salary of the Peoria County Administrator Patrick Urich? Over $160,000?? That is more than the Sheriff and about the same as the States Attorney. What great gifts to Peoria does this guy offer other than a new asphalt ordinance?
No, I am not shocked by his salary. He has a very tough job and there aren’t many people who can run a very large organization like Pia County. He is definitely not overpaid.
“Wondering”: In 2008, Urich was making $130,000/year and was a finalist for a city manager job in Joliet which was advertised as paying between $160,000 and $216,000. The County Board didn’t want to see him go, so they modified his contract, giving him an immediate $25,000/year raise in March 2008, followed by increases to $165,000 in January 2009 and $175,000 January 2010. Due to the budget crisis, Urich declined his January 2010 increase.
Very generous of him.
A puppet could have overseen Peoria County over the past several years, and come out smelling like a rose. We’ll now really see if Urich is worth the money, with the economy, tax revenues, and virtually everything else going into the toilet.
The salaries of Peoria County elected officials and salaries of Peoria County Administration are posted on my blog site as promised.
Just a couple days late as it took a while to get all of them. The Board Chairman makes $16,000 with no raise in 2010 that I am aware of.