3rd Ward candidates debate compensation for Des Plaines officials

Third Ward Alderman Denise Rodd and her re-election challenger, Gene Fregetto, disagree about compensation for elected officials.

During an interview with the Daily Herald editorial board, Fregetto said the city should analyze overall compensation for elected officials to determine benefits, arguing city council members are underpaid for the amount of work the job requires. Meanwhile, Rodd has pushed to eliminate health insurance for elected officials.

"If that health insurance was such a great benefit, why don't we have competition?" Fregetto said, pointing to uncontested races for 5th Ward alderman and city clerk. Races for mayor, 1st Ward and 7th Ward are contested.

Fregetto said he hasn't decided whether health insurance should be included in compensation for elected officials.

Alderman are paid $3,000 and receive $1,800 for expenses. Additionally, the city pays 88 percent of the health insurance premium for elected officials, which cost taxpayers about $90,000 last year.

While Rodd initially pushed to end the health insurance perk, Mayor Matt Bogusz has made the issue a key part of his re-election campaign for mayor against 6th Ward Alderman Malcolm Chester. Two weeks ago, Bogusz introduced a nonbinding resolution calling on aldermen to reduce health insurance benefits for city council members to match recent collective bargaining agreements with two city unions.

A year ago, Bogusz directed the city staff to remove the six alderman and the city clerk from the city's health insurance plan after attorneys determined an ordinance authorizing the benefit for elected officials didn't exist. The benefit would've ended at the end of each elected official's term.

Fregetto criticized the way Bogusz attempted to remove health insurance unilaterally.

"To take away people's health insurance is just egregious - just egregious," he said. "You can't do that to people."

Rodd argued elected officials should not be considered city employees because they're not subject to the same requirements.

"Because of that, we aren't entitled to the same benefits as employees," she said. "I think that people must have insurance. I just don't think elected officials should be getting it from the city of Des Plaines."

Election Day is April 4.