At a glance it looks like Mayor John Dickert's budget gives City Council members a raise in 2010. But a little longer look shows, like the rest of city employees, their salaries are flat next year.
Page 83 of the budget shows the city expects to spend $115,045 on City Council salaries and fringe benefits in 2009. The 2010 budget includes $123,732 for the council's salaries. Looks like an $8,687 increase ... except it isn't.
The city had budgeted $126,017 for council salaries in 2009, but spent less because Alderman Tom Friedel left office, first, to become interim mayor and, second, to become city administrator. Until Alderman Kelli Stein was appointed, the city saved money by not paying a salary to the 10th District alderman.
With a full City Council, the council's actual expenditures will go up. But in terms of budgeted amounts, the mayor's 2010 budget actually cuts the City Council's budget $8,522.
For those of us who have no employer-paid benefits at all and who pay for public employees, the words "fringe benefits" makes light of their real costs.
ReplyDeleteWhoever put out the first numbers did the Mayor no favors.
ReplyDeleteWounder if they still have a job today? Wait they must for if Brian O'Connell who oversees the 9 failed TIFS still does and that's a lot more serious then a math mistake
smoke & mirrors--a shell game ! How many city council employees do we have ??
ReplyDeleteIt is not a shell game if you know how to read a budget and paid attention to math class in high school.
ReplyDeleteThe REAL story is:
ReplyDeleteWith a full City Council, the council's actual expenditures will go up.
The truth please !!
What about the new job being created in the mayor's office that will go to a Dickert buddy like the other ones did? Or making the secretary full time after they went on the out of state trip together? A job well done? Hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteThe job in the city admininstration going from parttime to fulltime needs to stay part time. UNLESS they replace the person who is in that position currently - she is sooooo undeserving of a full time cushy position in city hall.
ReplyDeleteThere's one little thing that's being left out here: Even if they saved $8,687 because Friedel left office (which they didn't, because his predecessor gets paid), there is still the little item of his $95,000+ per year salary as city administrator that Dickert unquestioningly said during his campaign that the city couldn't afford. Yep, more smoke and mirrors. This slick, lying, cheating, double-dealing, unethical, poor excuse for a mayor has to go. NO SECOND TERM FOR DICKERT!!!
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