Lake Co. board members: Yes, cut our pay

The Lake County Board members whose salaries would be frozen under a newly unveiled proposal are behind the measure.

"We're trying to be fiscally responsible. And this is an example to show that we are," said Craig Taylor, a Lake Zurich Republican who is one of the eight commissioners potentially affected by the plan.

Commissioner Aaron Lawlor said it would be wrong for board members to accept raises when the county's budget for 2011 froze employees' salaries.

"We have to lead by example and give until it hurts," said Lawlor, a Vernon Hills Republican whose salary also would be frozen if the measure passes - assuming he's re-elected in November.

The proposal, which cleared the board's finance committee Wednesday, would hold salaries for those eight members at $40,945 for 2011 and 2012. Only eight commissioners' salaries are being targeted because the board sets salaries in chunks, based on which members are up for election.

The salaries apply to whomever is elected, incumbent or newcomer.

The commissioners last instituted a pay freeze in 1998. It lasted two years.

The eight incumbents who are in the selected districts are: Taylor; Lawlor; Brent Paxton of Zion; Steve Carlson of Gurnee; Susan Loving Gravenhorst of Lake Bluff; Carol Calabresa of Libertyville; Ann Maine of Lincolnshire; and Anne Flanigan Bassi of Highland Park.

Paxton, who leads the finance committee, proposed the pay freeze Wednesday, and Bassi supported it during the group's discussion. On Thursday, Carlson, Gravenhorst, Lawlor, Taylor and Maine said they back a pay freeze, too.

"It's going to cost me, but a lot of people are hurting," Carlson said.

Calabresa couldn't be reached for comment.

The 15 board members who aren't up for election this year would be unaffected by the pay freeze if it is approved. They would receive scheduled 3.75-percent pay raises in each of the next two years, which would bring their salaries to $44,074 by 2012.

Lawlor hopes those 15 commissioners would unite to give back that extra cash to the county, just as 19 board members did late last year with a 4-percent raise that amounted to about $1,600.

"I would imagine that we are going to be looking at budgets that are flatlined for the next few years," Lawlor said. "I think we're all in this together. We all have to pitch in ... and tighten our belts together."

To Maine, the pay freeze is a no-brainer.

"I've always voted against the pay raises, and I was glad that (last) year they found a way to give the money back," she said.

County Commissioner Angelo Kyle was one of the few board members who didn't return their $1,600 raises last year. He gave the money to his church instead.

Kyle, a member of the finance committee, backed the newly proposed pay freeze but also stood by his decision not to return the $1,600 to the county.

"The only reason they did it was political - a primary election was coming up," explained Kyle, a North Chicago Democrat.

In a separate measure Wednesday, the finance committee proposed temporarily freezing the salaries of the four countywide officers up for election this year, too. The salaries of the county treasurer, sheriff, regional schools superintendent and clerk would be frozen for two years, but would increase 2 percent in 2013 and 2014, according to the plan.

The county board will discuss the proposals May 7 during a committee-of-the-whole meeting. Votes could come May 11.