DuPage County worker benefits on table

DuPage County’s employee benefit costs are expected to increase by $14.5 million between now and 2015 — roughly $1.7 million more than the county’s anticipated revenue growth, officials said Thursday.

Fred Backfield, DuPage’s chief financial officer, talked about the projected “imbalance” to members of the county board’s ad hoc committee on human resources. The panel, which met for the first time Thursday, is charged with the task of developing “a sustainable and fair benefits package” for the county.

County officials say something must be done to address skyrocketing benefit costs because the budget is reaching “a tipping point.”

DuPage’s health insurance costs, for example, are projected to jump by more than 50 percent by 2015, according to Backfield. At the same time, the county’s contributions to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund are expected to rise by nearly 50 percent.

Meanwhile, DuPage’s revenue is expected to increase by 1.9 percent or less annually during that time period.

County board member Jeff Redick said the situation is clear.

“We have costs that are growing at a rate that we simply can’t afford,” said Redick, who is chairman of the human resources panel.

Redick said committee members are going to have to make “some hard decisions” in the coming weeks to provide guidance to county staff and elected officials. He said he wants the panel’s initial findings to be available by June so they could be part of the county’s 2012 budget planning.

“Every aspect of our costs will be examined with a singular focus,” Redick said. “And that focus will be to find a better way to balance our commitment to both the residents of DuPage County and the employees who work very hard for us every day to deliver vital services.”

The six-member committee is expected to review pension benefits offered to county employees and elected officials. It also will analyze the county’s salary structure, overtime policies and “special compensation,” such as vacation time, sick days and other benefits.

Board member Deb Olson, who serves on the committee, said the review is long overdue. She also said she’s pleased that feedback from county workers will be sought through a 14-member employee advisory group.

“I’m sure they have a lot of good ideas on how we can make things better here,” Olson said, “and reduce our costs.”