Are we paying municipal elected officials enough?

Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz hadn’t even begun his more notable career as an NFL linebacker the last time the village increased pay for elected officials.

The $15,000 a year Schwantz receives is the same amount his mayoral predecessors made dating back to at least 1991.

“There needs to be some kind of recognition and compensation, because they are taking time away from their family or kids’ sports teams or whatever,” said Palatine Village Manager Reid Ottesen. “But you don’t want to make it so someone is just in it for the money.”

However, some government policy experts contend stagnant pay rates discourage potential candidates and might be the reason Schwantz hasn’t had a challenger in at least 12 years.

While Ottesen said there are no plans to adjust salaries for elected officials in Palatine, several suburbs in recent months have either increased pay for elected officials or announced plans to do so.

And some believe more towns should follow suit.

“When you think about the amount of time to do that job well, not getting paid for that is a significant barrier for a lot of people who might otherwise be interested,” said Chris Goodman, associate professor of public administration at Northern Illinois University. “Raising the pay would be a relatively low investment for a big representation pay off.”

A Daily Herald analysis of pay rates for municipal elected officials showed mayors or village presidents in 89 suburbs averaged an annual salary of $16,479, while city council or village board members receive an average annual salary of $4,167.

In 12 towns, the mayor or president either receives no compensation or is paid per meeting attended. That’s the case for council or board trustees in 23 suburbs as well.

“If you want high-quality candidates, you have to pay them for their time,” Goodman argues. “Otherwise, you only get people who have the money or time to overcome this pay challenge.”

That translates to uncontested races or a homogeneous group that may not actually represent the population of the town they serve, he warned.

According to information gathered from dozens of public record requests, at least eight other towns are like Palatine and haven’t increased pay for some or all of the elected officials since the 1990s.

Until a few weeks ago, Geneva was one of those towns.

“I looked around the council chambers and saw people who have children, young mothers who are making sacrifices to participate,” said Geneva Alderperson Dean Kilburg. “It was just something I thought was long overdue.”

The city council had been paid $300 a month since 1997. In future years, they will be paid $400 a month.

“People shouldn’t have to dip into their personal finances to serve,” he said.

It’s not a one-size fits all approach. None of the professional organizations that represent municipalities offer any type of policy or formula for deciding what to pay elected officials. That’s evident by the pay disparity throughout the suburbs.

Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens receives a $260,000 annual salary plus numerous benefits, but he is also the village’s chief administrator, a position that is usually hired and not elected.
Daily Herald file photo/2023

Rosemont and Aurora have mayors who respectively make $260,000 and $176,414 annually. But they are also those towns’ chief executive. Most other suburbs have a city or village manager who handles the day-to-day operations.

Trustees in those towns also are among the highest paid in the suburbs. Rosemont trustees just voted themselves a 10% raise to $33,000 a year, while Aurora aldermen are debating a proposal that could bump annual pay anywhere from 20% to 30% more after the next election cycle.

“We’re looking to find that sweet spot,” said Aurora Alderman Carl Franco. “You want to make it fair and equitable, but you don’t want to make it so good that we have all these knuckleheads run just for the money.”

The Island Lake mayor is also that village’s chief executive. Trustees there recently introduced a proposal to more than triple the mayor’s salary from its current $21,400 a year to $70,000 annually.

“That was news to me,” current Island Lake Mayor Martin McLaughlin said. “I’m running for reelection and I think we’ve got two or three more people running as well.”

In 18 other suburbs, the mayors’ salaries range between $20,000 and $40,000 annually. But some of those towns also sweeten the pot.

Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates pay their mayors about $30,000 annually. However, elected officials there also receive stipends for attendance ranging between $75 and $150 for each meeting.

Less than half of Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod’s total compensation package of $62,827 in 2023 came from his $30,000 annual salary.

Schaumburg Mayor Tom Dailly received more than $6,500 from meeting stipends on top of his base pay last year as well, records show.

A few suburbs even allow elected officials to participate in the town’s health insurance program, offer pensions, furnish vehicles or provide other nonmonetary benefits.

Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson receives a $40,000 a year salary and participates in the village’s pension program through the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, but is quick to defend the compensation package as well as what other elected officials receive.

“We are underpaid for the hours we put in,” Johnson said. “Most people that get into village politics don’t get into it for the money. They do it because they want to give back.”

Mayor Craig Johnson’s salary is set at $40,000 a year, but he and village trustees, who make $6,000 a year, receive no additional stipends or benefits for their service.
Daily Herald File Photo

Johnson said that while pay may be one of the reasons holding some back from participating in local government, it’s not the main reason.

“The No. 1 reason I hear from people who don’t want to be on boards or commissions when I ask is because of Facebook,” he said. “They say they don’t want to see their name splashed all over social media. Time commitment is another reason and pay is probably third.”

Mayors and trustees in towns such as Barrington Hills, Glen Ellyn, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Lincolnshire, North Barrington, Sleepy Hollow, South Barrington and Wayne all go unpaid, the public records requests showed.

“You’ll see places where only certain people choose to be candidates,” Goodman said. “People’s time is valuable, and if you want them to give their time, you have to compensate them for that.”