Vernon Township to roll back executive salaries and freeze staff raises

The Vernon Township Board announced Saturday that it will roll back executive salaries to 2017 levels and freeze all staff pay increases due to the COVID-19 crisis. The board also eliminated the salary for the township highway commissioner and reduced salaries for the assessor and clerk, officials said in a news release.

"It is important that we deliver on the promises that we made to reduce the burden on our tax payers," said Vernon Township Board Supervisor Jonathan Altenberg said in the release. "I call upon other governmental bodies to take similar actions in reducing property taxes."

"With the pandemic and the current state of the economy, we must tighten our belts to create tax relief for our citizens and to make room for important services that will help us recover from the pandemic," said Vernon Township Board Trustee Phil Hirsh.

Information on the size of the cost savings was not immediately available.

Vernon Township provides services to residents in all or portions of the villages of Buffalo Grove, Indian Creek, Lincolnshire, Long Grove, Mettawa, Mundelein, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills, the City of Lake Forest, and unincorporated Vernon Township.