Chicago mayors would get annual pay raises each year under a proposal introduced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot that would tie yearly salary bumps to inflation but cap them at 5%.
The ordinance, introduced this week, would also allow the city clerk and treasurer to take pay increases each year. All three citywide elected officials could opt out for the following year if they choose, mirroring a process used by aldermen who are also eligible for annual raises.
Under a 2006 city ordinance, aldermen automatically get annual salary bumps tied to the consumer price index, unless they individually turn them down. But unlike Lightfoot’s latest proposal, the current system for aldermanic raises does not provide a cap for the inflation-tied raise, meaning the majority of City Council members are in line for a 9.6% pay increase next year because of recent surges in inflation.
Leading into City Council elections on Feb. 28, 15 aldermen turned down the 2023 pay raise, and multiple aldermen have introduced pending legislation to restrict their salaries.
The Chicago mayor’s salary is $216,210, a figure that hasn’t changed since 2006. The highest aldermanic pay will grow to about $142,780 next year.
City Clerk Anna Valencia and Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin already stand to see their salaries increase to $161,016 from $133,545 under Lightfoot’s proposed 2023 budget.
Whether Lightfoot’s proposal receives pushback remains to be seen, but politicians tend to avoid boosting their salaries during election years to avoid controversy. Former Orland Park mayor Dan McLaughlin lost his 2017 reelection campaign in the south suburb after moving to triple his salary, for instance.
At a news conference last month, Lightfoot said she had not “raised that issue.”
“I think there’s conversation around the, some of the other city wide elected officials. You’re aware that the mayor’s compensation hasn’t been changed in I think almost 20 years,” Lightfoot said. “But that’s not really what I’m focused on. I’m focused on making sure that we do the work of the people of the city every single day.”
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The bug eyed bigot needs a pay cut to $0.00. As in unemployed.
HOW In gods name, does she think ANY MAYOR up there, deserves even the pay they CURRENTLY GET< let alone a rise, is beyond me.
More socialist minimum wages for their useful idiot socialist shock troops, but maximum reward for the Stalinist party puppet masters, with lots of strings attached of course that end up entangling THE PEOPLE to the point of tying them down in more uselessness, and inability to achieve the human condition of self-government America was designed to foster. With socialism the rich productive Capitalist leaders just get replaced with the socially redistributed wealthy enriched useless Consuming Socialist leaders, who when they take over government just orchestrate a Mickey Mouse Fantasia cartoon version of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice where everybody is magically forced to carry their water, which ends up drowning an entire nation. They continually prove themselves unfit in brain power and strength to be able to wield the American Constitutionally created American magic wands of Freedom which when placed into their hands just creates mayhem, confusion and disaster after disaster.
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”,,,enter our economy, Biden rendered into ground meat socialist sausage, and dis-unitedness of a nation whose very name DEMANDS a state of UNITED STATES alive in social unity, not dead like the diseases they foster. Skin color is the least of the darkness Lightfoot brings to the American table to ingest just the evil of her stupidity.
The truth of the matter, Politian’s can always steal more money from the taxpayers, so they don’t have to feel the effects of inflation. And there isn’t a thing the taxpayers can do about it!
Voters CAN.. IF the plebs in Illinois, WAKE THE HELL UP..
How about a penalty assessment for poor performance in the job, use crime statistics as a base!
OR linked to the # of folks, who FLEE YOUR city, because of crime/cost of living etc..
Knowing you are probably on the way out, why noy increase your salary as much as possible so your retirement pension can also be a big chunk of money. Since you could care less about the people do what you have to do to get a large retirement benefit.
This bug eyed idiot needs to get paid on commission. You prove that you’re doing the job and earning it, you get paid. If your a WOKE loser, bigot. Zero pay!
IMO that would be a GREAT WAY TO make ALL politicians actually DO THEIR BLOODY JOB.. TIE their pay, to their performance.
Wow, she screws Chicago people coming and going. What ever happened to THE MERIT RAISE?? Name ONE good thing she has done for the people of Chicago. ONE!
Is there a bigger idiot in the demoncrapic party than this piece of shoot. She has literally destroyed Chicago via neglect and downright incompetence. She should resigned.
She’s got a way to go, to beat pelosi, biden, harris and newsome.
Hey you Democrat voters. Good job! Your family grocery bill is through the roof, your gas bill is $2.00 higher per gallon from two years ago and inflation is at a FORTY year high, YET, you still vote Democrat. Do you ever wander why nobody ever asks for your advice or opinion? It’s because your stupid!
Nobody else is affected by inflation, huh, Lighthead??
With the highest murder rates in the nation, none of the fruit cakes running that city deserve ANY PAY RAISE PERIOD!! If Lightintheloafers is NOT concerned about an UNDESERVED pay raise THEN WHY BRING IT UP AT ALL? More LIES!
When are the Chicago citizens gonna wise up ?
This racist Freakazoid isn’t doing you any good !
AT this rate, i fear the residents in illinois, WILL NEVER wise up.