Patronage workers with the Cook County Forest Preserve District are seeing more green these days -- in their paychecks.With people everywhere facing tough financial times, the 28 forest preserve patronage workers who've been on the payroll since 2006 all got hefty raises in the following two years, an analysis by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Better Government Association has found. They're among 38 forest preserve workers who are exempt from the Shakman court order that bans political hiring in city and county government.
On average, the exempt employees were paid $98,071 last year. Nine of them saw their salaries increase 19 percent or more between 2006 and 2008. Most of the Shakman-exempt employees -- 24 in all -- have contributed to the campaign funds of Cook County Board President Todd Stroger; his late father, former board President John Stroger; or the 8th Ward Regular Democratic Organization that John Stroger controlled.
The Strogers and the party organization have gotten a total of $49,870 in campaign contributions from the exempt employees since the mid-1990s. The biggest contributor: Deputy Comptroller Alvin Lee ($12,100), followed by district police chief Richard Waszak ($8,050).
That's their right, says district spokesman Steve Mayberry, who says Todd Stroger never has solicited forest preserve employees for campaign cash. "It is the First Amendment right of all private citizens ... to make political contributions to whomever they please," says Mayberry, himself a Shakman-exempt employee who has given $3,905 to Stroger organizations.
The number of exempt employees amounts to less than 7 percent of the district's 564-person work force.
"The current Shakman-exempt list is a result of long and careful debate," Mayberry says. "It is intended to recognize the need for the president of Cook County and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to have some confidential employees in leadership positions."