If the state of Illinois reduces its money to the city of Lake Forest, police could find themselves with lower wages or back in wage negotiations, according to city officials.
On June 5, the Lake Forest City Council unanimously approved a contract with police that runs from May 1, 2017, to April 30, 2021. Lake Forest Police officers who are members of Chapter 171 of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police previously voted to approve it, according to city and MAP officials.
Under the contract, union-represented officers could see a reduction in their yearly pay if the state reduces the share of state income tax revenue the city receives through the Local Government Distributive Fund, according to council documents.
If the LGDF is reduced by 1 to 5 percent, officers would see a .2 percent wage reduction, according to city council documents. If the LGDF is reduced by 6 to 10 percent, officers would see a .4 percent reduction, and if the LGDF is reduced more than 10 percent, officers would see a .6 percent reduction, the documents state.
Under the contract, if Illinois institutes a property tax freeze, the city has the right to reopen wage negotiations with police for the year or years of the freeze, according to city council documents.
“We’re very grateful for that leeway,” Ald. Michelle Moreno said. “There are only so many things we can control.”
This is the first time such provisions have been in a police contract, said DeSha Kalmar, human resources director for the city, although she said the fire department has the same provisions in a contract that was negotiated last year.
“It’s because of what’s going on in the state,” Kalmar said. “If the state reduces our distributive funds or institutes a property tax freeze, it will have a huge impact on the city budget. We would have to find ways to cut. This is one way to cut a bit.”
Rick Tracy, vice president of MAP, said a reduction in officer pay if LGDF is reduced is rare in police contracts. MAP represents police mostly in the Chicago metropolitan area, he said.
“That’s something that is not common to contracts and something we don’t like,” Tracy said. “We have a few communities that do, that but very, very few.”
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“This contract was actually negotiated by the officers there without anybody from the union present. We assisted them where we could, but they conducted negotiations,” he said.
The provision allowing reopening of wage negotiations if property taxes are frozen is unique among the police officers that MAP represents, Tracy said.
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