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You’ve gotta be kidding me.
Aldermen would get a $20,000 pay increase spread over their next four-year term under an ordinance introduced Wednesday that is expected to start the debate over what constitutes appropriate compensation for Chicago’s City Council.Mayor Richard Daley has not signed on to the proposal, nor have his colleagues, said Ald. Bernard Stone (50th), sponsor of the measure.
But Stone insisted that aldermen are worth the raise, which would increase salaries of council members by more than 20 percent, to about $118,000 a year in 2011.
“I think we deserve it,” asserted Stone, who was first elected in 1973. “At least I know I deserve it … I think my constituents think I am entitled to it.”
I have a feeling his constituents are thinking no such thing.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 9:27 am
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Stoney really does have his finger on the pulse of public sentiment. Like when he said the victims of the Lincoln Park porch collapse were “victims of their own folly” to cover his own backside. Or when he didn’t support his own son’s aldermanic canidacy or when he built a worthless median strip along Howard Street in a territorial battle with Evanston. 33 years of this type of service sure deserves a $20k raise. Bernard Stone for county board president!
Comment by Howard Street Wall Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 9:36 am
I don’t know…..this is Chicago, where all “public servants” get pretty lavish compensation by any normal yardwtick. And Chicago residents keep voting in the Machine.
Comment by Cassandra Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 9:53 am
Doesn’t he get that much already in off the book side deals and favors?
Comment by zatoichi Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 10:39 am
There has been so much attention paid to the County Board Presidency, the patronage scandal and the indited former City Clerk that the Alderman in Chicago have been getting a pass.
However, the elections for Chicago City Council seats are less than a year away.
Stay tuned for a series of contested Aldermanic races.
P.S. what’s with Ald. Beavers?
Comment by 3rd Ward Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 10:47 am
Are these guys worth twice what our state legislators make?
Comment by RFK fan Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 11:01 am
RFK Fan –
That is an interesting question which just as easily could be reversed. What is the going price for rubber stamps?
Comment by Truthful James Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 11:17 am
The job of Aldermen is part-time. $118,000/yr for a part-time job. Those like Eddie Burke rake in hundreds of thousands above and beyond their aldermanic salary while loading themselves up with countless questionable clients. Then they exempt themselves from the reach of the City’s Inspector General, rip into someone like Noelle Brennan because she had the audacity to ask them questions, and serve as a total rubber stamp for the Mayor. Give me a frigging break! I say cut the council in half. Keep their pay as is but demand that it become a full-time job. There’s a reason Chicago’s governance continues to be seen around the world as a laughingstock….
Comment by ChicagoCynic Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 11:19 am
If private sector executive salaries are going up, why shouldn’t public sector salaries?
The problem is an ideology that says that people at the top are worth way more than regular folk. The aldermen are merely doing what private sector people have been doing for awhile.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 12:30 pm
Here is a question rather than a comment:
Does anybody know the real compensation for an alderman? What kind of expense accounts are we talking about for these guys? What kind of out of pocket do they have relating to the job?
It is difficult to look at the salary unless we see it in the full context.
That being said, $100 a year is too much to pay Bernie Stone but that is another matter completely.
Comment by Skeeter Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 12:33 pm
I believe they are allotted an extra $10 grand for office expenses.
CCynic: I was going to say something similar. I have no problem with Aldermen making $118,000 — if they are prohibited from having any outside income. No sweetheart legal fees for Burke. No nice insurance sales or real estate sales or do-nothing police jobs. Nothing else. I bet they wouldn’t even consider the raise under those circumstances.
Comment by $$$ Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 12:44 pm
The good thing is someone can make the proposal, the rest of them do nothing to pass the proposal, and still get the raise.
No wait. That is Democrat state legislature.
The Democrat money grab continues …..
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 12:46 pm
Carl
In the private sector, executive compensation goes up because he has made the company worth more. There is competition for these dudes. Internally, they go up or out as time passes.
You see any demand for a second hand alderman, other than as a lobbyist?
Comment by Truthful James Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 12:48 pm
I just heard Bernard Stone commenting on the radio as to why he felt “he” was justified in asking for additional compensation. When he was asked “what about the other officials that will also automatically get increased compensation because “he” felt “he” was worth more money than he was getting paid. Alderman Stone said that “he felt that “THEY ARE PROBABLY” also worth it. Oh my goodness, it was scary and pathetic at the same time.
This Bernard Stone sounded like he must be 95 years old with Alzheimers. He stammered and seemed to be less than coherent. My guess is that his constituency keeps reelecting him simply because they don’t have the heart to put the old guy “out to pasture” where he belongs. The guy came across as less than bright. Probably a sweet old guy but not the sharpest tack in Chicago’s desk drawer. Somebody set the bar in Chicago on the bottom peg many years ago and never remembered to raise it.
Comment by Beowulf Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 12:49 pm
James, even CEOs who lose money get exhorbitant salaries. But don’t let the facts get in the way of your power worshipping ideology.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 4:05 pm
I fully agree that aldermen shouldn’t collect outside compensation unless it can be proven that it’s not a conflict of interest or in some way double dipping.
The burden of proof shouldn’t be on the outsiders, it should be on the elected officials.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 4:07 pm
Capital Fax Sighting
Hi Rich,
Spotted in Chicago City Council Chambers yesterday: Ald. O’Connor reading the “Capital Fax” during the testimonials congratulating Daley for nominating Ray Orozco to Fire Commish. Might want to check and make sure he is a paid-in-full subscriber.
Comment by Hugh Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 4:16 pm
At $118 large, alderman would be making double what state legislators make. Are they really worth 100% more than senators and reps?
Comment by respectful Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 4:25 pm
Carl, Carl, Carl –
They CEOs are paid by Contract. There is a demand for their services. The market price of the stock (something called shareholder wealth)
determines the value of those services.
But ‘a power worshiping ideology”? What a ridiculous, childish remark. Those words mean precisely nothing. It’s just that you were comparing apples and oranges. The private sector performance is profit base. The public sector is cost based
Comment by Truthful James Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 4:33 pm
respectful –
One reason for the double dipping of supposedly full time public sector jobs is to allow more contributions at fund raising events. That can get pretty damn expensive. The unknowing public gets to indirectly conribute to a political machine.
So yes, if that is any criteria, they need the money.
Comment by Truthful James Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 4:40 pm
For showing initiative let’s give Stone his raise and cut the other 49. If they are always going to vote unanimously on everything anyway, all we really need is one alderman. Aldermen beyond one are redundant.
Comment by Hugh Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 5:17 pm
Stone is just thinking of his daughter.
Comment by Hugh Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 7:30 pm
And while all the alderman and state reps and senators are arguing who deserves the biggest raises, the people actually doing the state’s business haven’t had a raise in 4 years, except for the return of the 4% taken away at the beginning of the Blagojevice administration. But then, they don’t have any way to vote it to themselves. It’s supposed to be based on good work and service. But then again, those close to the top office do SO much better work than we peons. If you want proof, just read this blog or the newspapers where many of the stories end with “Governor Blagojevich has not been charged with any crime.”
Comment by Disgusted Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 11:38 pm
Definitely watch for contested aldermanic races.
Who cares about outside income. You might want to focus on Aldermen who have their families on the city payroll. If an alderman has her husband and daughter, all of whom live under the same roof, that household income is way above the proposed aldermanic increase. And it robs jobs from other chicagoans.
Comment by 2nd Ward Friday, May 26, 06 @ 4:29 am
I believe in 2002 the Alderman also voted to give themselves a 20% (or so raise). That was sponsored by Ald. O’Conner of the 40th Ward. Lets all vote ourselves a raise and vote for big christmas gifts.
Comment by Bobby Douglas Sunday, Dec 3, 06 @ 1:40 pm