When I read the Chicago Tribune’s article on Cook County pension debtApril 9th, what jumped out at me was not the $5 billion figure estimated by a study financed out of Board member Bridget Gainer’s office allowance.
The 17 County Commissioners get $300,000 a year for an office allowance.
That’s almost $1 per constituent, including children.
McHenry County Board members get no office allowance.
They do get $1,000 to spend on expenses, but the last time I looked, most members had not spent anything out of that allowance.