04-06-2010, 09:14 PM
Very nice gesture by our mayor. Although its going to take alot of hard work from everyone to fix this budget.
Maybe they could turn a parking garage into a boxing stadium for extra cash. :roll:
Waukegan mayor: He'll take pay cut
New budget calls for 33 layoffs, 12 furlough days
April 6, 2010
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto:dmoran@stmedianetwork.com">dmoran@stmedianetwork.com</a><!-- e -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/2142241,5_1_WA06_WKGNCITY_S1-100406.article">http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... 06.article</a><!-- m -->
Mayor Robert Sabonjian told the City Council on Monday he will forgo a scheduled salary increase next month and take 12 unpaid furlough days in the face of the city's ongoing economic woes.
"I feel I can't ask that of my employees what I'm not willing to do myself," Sabonjian said.
Aldermen are also scheduled for a salary increase next month, and Sabonjian said he was "hoping the (other) elected officials will do this themselves."
Third Ward Ald. Greg Moisio was the only member to announce during the council meeting that he would also decline the salary increase and take furlough days.
"It would be pretty hard for me to look at department heads (and) employees" if he didn't, said Moisio, adding that "everybody wants their pound of flesh these days, and you'll get your pound of flesh from this alderman."
According to Sabonjian, elected officials are prohibited by law to raise or lower salaries during a current term.
However, officials can donate portions of salaries to select municipal funds, including the general fund, the city animal shelter and the citizens' academies for the police and fire departments.
In Sabonjian's case, he said the savings from his 12 unpaid days would go into the general fund, from which such things as employee salaries are paid.
According to Director of Governmental Services Ray Vukovich, the mayor's salary stands at $105,348 and was scheduled to increase to $109,562.
Under the current rate of pay, 12 furlough days would amount to $5,267.
Aldermen, meanwhile, are considered part-time employees and are paid $21,000 annually. The May 1 pay increase will boost that to $22,000.
The discussion of elected officials' salaries came a few weeks after the city released a proposed 2010-11 budget that calls for 33 layoffs and 12 unpaid furlough days for non-union employees.
The city is preparing to host the first of three public meetings reviewing the budget on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers.
The first session is scheduled to include an overview of proposed revenues and expenditures, while a meeting April 15 will focus on departmental budgets and the proposed Capital Improvement Plan.
On April 26, a final presentation will be held at 6 p.m., including the legally required appropriations/budget hearing. The spending plan will then be submitted for adoption by the City Council, which has scheduled a special meeting at 7 p.m.
Maybe they could turn a parking garage into a boxing stadium for extra cash. :roll:
Waukegan mayor: He'll take pay cut
New budget calls for 33 layoffs, 12 furlough days
April 6, 2010
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto:dmoran@stmedianetwork.com">dmoran@stmedianetwork.com</a><!-- e -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/2142241,5_1_WA06_WKGNCITY_S1-100406.article">http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... 06.article</a><!-- m -->
Mayor Robert Sabonjian told the City Council on Monday he will forgo a scheduled salary increase next month and take 12 unpaid furlough days in the face of the city's ongoing economic woes.
"I feel I can't ask that of my employees what I'm not willing to do myself," Sabonjian said.
Aldermen are also scheduled for a salary increase next month, and Sabonjian said he was "hoping the (other) elected officials will do this themselves."
Third Ward Ald. Greg Moisio was the only member to announce during the council meeting that he would also decline the salary increase and take furlough days.
"It would be pretty hard for me to look at department heads (and) employees" if he didn't, said Moisio, adding that "everybody wants their pound of flesh these days, and you'll get your pound of flesh from this alderman."
According to Sabonjian, elected officials are prohibited by law to raise or lower salaries during a current term.
However, officials can donate portions of salaries to select municipal funds, including the general fund, the city animal shelter and the citizens' academies for the police and fire departments.
In Sabonjian's case, he said the savings from his 12 unpaid days would go into the general fund, from which such things as employee salaries are paid.
According to Director of Governmental Services Ray Vukovich, the mayor's salary stands at $105,348 and was scheduled to increase to $109,562.
Under the current rate of pay, 12 furlough days would amount to $5,267.
Aldermen, meanwhile, are considered part-time employees and are paid $21,000 annually. The May 1 pay increase will boost that to $22,000.
The discussion of elected officials' salaries came a few weeks after the city released a proposed 2010-11 budget that calls for 33 layoffs and 12 unpaid furlough days for non-union employees.
The city is preparing to host the first of three public meetings reviewing the budget on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers.
The first session is scheduled to include an overview of proposed revenues and expenditures, while a meeting April 15 will focus on departmental budgets and the proposed Capital Improvement Plan.
On April 26, a final presentation will be held at 6 p.m., including the legally required appropriations/budget hearing. The spending plan will then be submitted for adoption by the City Council, which has scheduled a special meeting at 7 p.m.