307 city workers make $100K (Joliet, IL)

The Herald News ^ | Feb 24, 2011 | Bob Okon

[KeyLargo]

307 city workers make $100K

By Bob Okon

bokon@stmedianetwork.com

Last Modified: Feb 24, 2011 02:12AM

JOLIET — A third of the city’s workforce made more than $100,000 in gross pay in 2009, and the numbers probably have not changed much since.

Pay and benefits for Joliet city workers have been an issue since the city first started trying to pare them back two years ago to deal with looming budget deficits.

Mayoral candidate Andrew Mihelich is pushing the issue in his campaign, and this week released his own count of 155 city employees making more than $100,000.

But Mihelich’s count was only the half of it — literally.

The 2009 Annual Treasurer’s Report for Joliet lists 307 employees with gross pay — an amount that includes overtime and stipends but not the cost of health care — of more than $100,000.

The difference comes because Mihelich sought and received income information based on federal W-2 forms that does not include pre-tax contributions made by employees, including pension contributions that can be nearly 10 percent of pay.

Either way, Mihelich said the numbers of workers making $100,000-plus show the city needs to get a grip on pay and benefits to handle a $27 million deficit projected for 2012 — the first full year of business for the next mayor, who will be elected April 5.

[Graybeard58]

Joliet, Illinois - July 2009: population 147,633.

[Siena Dreaming]

The psychological impact in these towns must be great...non-Gov't workers surrounded on a daily basis by these "public servants" lording it over them with their noses in the air.

[Leisler]

307 employees with gross pay — an amount that includes overtime and stipends but not the cost of health care — of more than $100,000.

So, half or more get 100k total compensation, with about one third getting near 150 per year( except their last few years where they game the system to bump up to 200 plus per year so that they can retire to low cost, low tax Texas or Florida on 80,000$ pensions with full benefits, every year, for the rest of their lives.