Bill to Eliminate DuPage Forest District Commissioners' Salaries Passes House Committee
Salaries and benefits of up to $80,000 per commissioner may be nearing an end.
Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Deb Conroy (D-46th, Elmhurst) to eliminate the salaries and benefits of DuPage Forest District commissioners and chairman won the approval of a key House committee last week.
The House Counties and Townships Committee approved House Bill 2377 with a 3-2 vote. The bill will head to the full House for consideration.
The proposal eliminates the salaries and pension, dental and medical benefits given to the forest preserve’s chairman and six commissioners. In DuPage County, commissioners meet once a week and receive a base salary of $53,500. With benefits, each commissioner costs the taxpayers up to $80,709.50. Forest district commissioners in neighboring counties may be reimbursed for necessary expenses and receive a nominal salary of $0 to $3,000 per year, according to a press release from Conroy's office.
“As we continue to weed out government waste and further our commitments to spending taxpayer dollars more responsibly, it is encouraging that this committee recognizes the vast taxpayer waste in these overly generous compensation packages,” Conroy said in a prepared statement. “My intent is not to lessen DuPage County’s capacity to preserve our natural habitats and expand open lands opportunities, but to make sure that we’re investing our limited resources into those efforts rather than to pay for bloated salaries.”
State Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-45th, Elmhurst) also sponsored HB 2481, which would dissolve the DuPage County Forest Preserve District Board and transfer the responsibilities of the Forest District to the DuPage County Board in 2016.
RELATED: Legislators Turn Their Attention to DuPage Forest District as a Way to Save Taxpayers Money
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CountyLeaks
2:42 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Here's some interesting information involving the Forest Preserve:
http://wheaton.patch.com/blog_posts/smoked-out-dupage-county-board-chairman-dan-cronins-pick-chris-hage-all-pork-no-bean-counter-fundraiser
Ray
5:07 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Reboletti's bill is a horrible idea.
goddess
7:39 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
It's about freaking time.
J D McNugent
9:31 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Not really sure what a Dupage County Forest commissioner does? Does anyone?
Ray
9:40 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
To have biology/ecology/forest ranger people report to the general Dupage County Board would be a joke. The Dupage Forest Preserves are maybe the best thing about this county. The mission is different from that of the general county board. I don't want the forest preserves to fall under the command of some idiots who think open space is wasted space. I agree that the salary/pension packages the Dupage Forest Preserve commissioners get is extremely high, but I also think the quality of our open spaces and natural areas has been maintained (and even improved) quite well. Chop the costs but don't destroy the structure.
Are any state reps proposing a reduction in County Board salaries as well?
Jane
11:13 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The DuPage Forest Preserve has about a $40 million annual operating budget. The Board's job is to approve a budget and appropriation, approve a tax levy and set policy. The commissioners each currently have a total compensation package of about $80,000 per year. (including health insurance and pension)
By comparison, Lake County Forest Preserve commissioners do the same thing, oversee more open space and trails and earn $3,000 per year. Lake County Forest Preserve operates on much smaller budget and lower tax levy. In fact, the biggest difference is the amount spent on personnel. DuPage spends 40% more on personnel and has many more people feeding from the public trough. (many are relatives...)
Compare to Naperville School District 203 - 7 Board Members get paid NOTHING. NO Stipend, NO health insurance, NO pension. They oversee a budget 6 TIMES more than the DuPage Forest Preserve.
Why do DuPage Forest Preserve Commissioners need to earn $80,000 per year? Is this a necessary expense and burden for DuPage taxpayers?
Kim Johnson
2:59 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
I think it should be closer to $10K for a part time position.On the benefits, I would have to really consider the time frame--I think that medical and dental are fine, if there are premiums. I feel the right to a pension is an important earned benefit, but I'm not sure how many terms they must serve before receiving a pension...one of the reasons I believe these are necessary is that it allows people from all backgrounds the ability to serve, not just the richer of us(who usually have an easier time to schedule meetings within their itinerary without losing revenue).
Ray
7:31 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Very well stated.
Tony Pedretti
12:28 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
The article doesn't provide enough information to make a compelling case one way or the other. I'd like to see the detail provided in some of the comments supported in a less biased way in the story itself. In this case, the forest preserve’s chairman and commissioners' salaries/benefits and those of neighboring communities and those with similar demographics. Pros and cons of a Forest Preserve District Board versus staff reporting to the County Board. Scope of each Board's responsibilities and their peers. Each boards performance versus their peers. Factors influencing our representatives to make an effort one way or the other.