A plan to freeze the salaries of DuPage County’s elected officials beginning in 1997 appears to be running into turbulence at the County Board.
Some board members seem unenthusiastic about the salary-cap idea. And three county officials seeking re-election in November-Sheriff Richard Doria, County Clerk Gary King and Treasurer John L. Novak-have written a letter to board members urging them to reject the plan.
The proposal, adopted last week by a board subcommittee, would provide annual raises of about 3 percent in fiscal 1995 and 1996 for newly elected board members, as well as for other county officials up for election this year.
But the salaries for those positions would be frozen in fiscal 1997 and 1998 under the plan.
Although pay increases for board members and county officials elected two years ago already have been set through 1996, members of the budget subcommittee also are recommending that salaries for all elected officials be frozen from fiscal 1997 through the year 2000.
The subcommittee wants to put at least a temporary halt to what has been an accepted practice in DuPage of providing for annual cost-of-living increases to elected county officials. Subcommittee members contend that candidates generally are aware of the salaries associated with the offices and should not expect increases during their terms.
The subcommittee’s recommendations are expected to be considered Tuesday at meetings of the board’s Finance Committee and of the full board. Their fate there is uncertain.
King, one of the officials whose salary would be capped beginning in 1997, said the proposed freeze was “disheartening.”
“We’re very confused,” King said. “We’ve been told by people on the board and throughout the state what wonderful offices we run, and then this happens.”
The letter from King and the other officials appears to have found a receptive audience among some board members who see little justification for what essentially is a symbolic gesture. A salary freeze would have little impact on the county’s budget, and future boards would not be obligated to freeze salaries for officials elected in 1996.
Board member Edward Merkel (R-Elmhurst) said he has no objection to freezing the salaries of the dozen board members who will be elected in November. But he said that putting a cap on the salaries of other elected officials seems arbitrary unless there were arguments they are now overpaid.
The board must act before the Nov. 8 election to set salaries for those officials and board members who will start new four-year terms in December. Salaries cannot be altered once an official has taken office, though the board can adopt a salary schedule before the election that provides in advance for annual increases during a term.
The annual base salary for the county clerk currently is $66,853. It would increase to $69,124 in 1995 and be capped at $71,464 in 1996 under the budget subcommittee proposal. The county clerk is paid an additional stipend as secretary of the Liquor Control Commission and of the Forest Preserve Commission.
The base salary for the sheriff would increase to $75,201 in 1995 and be capped at $77,541 in 1996; for the county treasurer, the salary would increase to $71,555 in 1995 and to $73,895 in 1996. The sheriff is now paid $72,930 a year, plus $4,500 as county safety director. The county treasurer is now paid $69,284, plus an additional stipend as Health Department treasurer.
Also up for consideration Tuesday is a proposed resolution that would reduce the base salary for the next county board chairman to $49,134 a year.
The pay cut had been suggested by Gayle Franzen, GOP candidate for board chairman. That proposal also seems to be meeting with some resistance from board members, who may be reluctant to appear to be taking orders from Franzen before the election.
Outgoing board Chairman Aldo Botti has been paid a base salary of $63,000 a year. The board chairman is paid an additional stipend of $6,300 a year as the county’s liquor control chief.