From Chicago Tribune:
Seeking a pay hike for his staff, Cook County State's Atty. Richard Devine showed up at the County Board meeting Tuesday with about 150 prosecutors and supporters.
When Devine left, he had a commitment for cost-of-living pay increases from Board President Todd Stroger.
One commissioner asserted that fatter checks could go out next month, but Stroger made no promise of when the attorneys would see the additional pay.
Once again, Stroger linked the cost-of-living increases to the sale of county land at Oak Forest Hospital. A measure on the board agenda to begin the sale process was sent to committee for further consideration.
Stroger said the sale, "like everything in government," is going to take time.
Stroger stopped short of saying that a tax hike was inevitable with the 2008 budget he will propose later this year."I can't say that," he said. "There's either going to be a tax increase or something's getting cut."
Prosecutors were told in February they would receive a cost-of-living adjustment retroactive to 2004, but a June 1 deadline passed without any action, Assistant State's Atty. Robert Hovey said Monday.
A pay increase would boost the salaries of employees in the state's attorney's office by 12 percent over four years, Hovey said.
The county has 820 assistant state's attorneys, and the average salary is $69,969 per year, Devine spokesman John Gorman said.New assistant state's attorneys start at $48,796 per year. Salaries range to as much as $148,000 for Devine's first assistant, Robert Milan.
Assistant State's Atty. Brian Sexton, a gang unit supervisor, said that in two decades with the office he had never seen prosecutors this angry with the board."We want to show them we're united on this," Sexton said.
"They seem to find money for everybody except us."
3 comments:
If prosecutors bail, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart will have a lot more to keep at Cook County Jail for a longer time, and he certainly has enough problems dealing with the Toddster budget, and the Toddler himself.
TGCN I have an idea for you to pass on to Sheriff Dart. Judge Bush is giving out new laws that convicted felon can get out of jail because their sentences are to high. Next any prisoner who lied under oath can no longer be charged with a crime of lying. Next any prisoner who didn't show up in court is good to go thanks to Harriet Miers. These new laws were put in place by the Chief Justice George W. Bush and he is the Dictator. As for the Toddster well he's just in office for the pay check and will milk the city dry.
When I visited Chicago it was so much like New York. People were all rushing somewhere and sad faces. Maybe my next visit I'll look up the Toddster if he still in office. The airs not to good either.
Jackie you are funny! Wow, letting the doors open on Cook County Jail, when they had to cut back on Cook County Sheriff's, that's making me nervous.
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