By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Winnebago County Board members on Thursday approved a plan to increase the salaries for the sheriff, clerk and treasurer for the first time in four years.
The board voted unanimously with one abstention to give the sheriff a one-year salary increase of 9% in 2023, followed by annual cost-of-living increases based on the rate of inflation for the remaining three years of the four-year term. Under the same measure, the treasurer will receive a one-year 7% pay hike and the clerk gets a nearly 11% salary increase, with both offices then getting the yearly cost-of-living adjustment.
The raises account for a total $26,215 more from the county’s budget next year.
County Board member Steve Schultz, who is a candidate for treasurer, abstained from the vote. John Butitta was absent.
Background: Committee moves forward plan to increase salary for sheriff, clerk and treasurer
The pay raises are meant to make up for the four-year pay freeze put in place before the last election and to make the salaries for those offices comparable to other northern Illinois counties.
By law, the County Board is required to set elected officials’ salaries at least 180 days before the start of the term. The next term for the three offices begins on Dec. 1 this year.
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The sheriff’s new salary will be $130,000 starting Dec. 1. It had been $119,039 for the last four years. The clerk’s salary goes to $95,000 from $85,873. That clerk received the largest one-year percentage increase because the office inherited the responsibilities of the recorder. Voters approved that merger in 2018. The treasurer’s salary moves to $92,000 from $85,873.
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Pay increases
Office | Current salary | New salary
Sheriff | $119,039 | $130,000
Treasurer | $85,873 | $92,000
Clerk | $85,873 | $95,000
* Each office would receive an annual cost-of-living raise based on the consumer price index as of Nov. 1 each year.
Salary comparison
County | Treasurer salary | Clerk salary | sheriff salary | Population
Kane | $100,000 | $100,000 | $124,750 | 532,403
Winnebago | $85,873 | $85,873 | $119,039 | 282,572
Peoria | $108,722 | $108,722 | $137,058 | 179,179
DeKalb | $92,144 | $92,144 | $131,539 | 104,897
Boone | $83,388 | $90,708 | $123,717 | 53,544
Ogle | $84,080 | $82,080 | $92,788 | 50,634
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.