September 26, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact Ibis Antongiorgi, Press Secretary to Cook County Board President Todd H. Stroger, at 312-603-0396 or by email at iantongiorgi@cookcountygov.com.

Stroger Cuts Payroll by over $4 million for Political Appointees In His Office  

September 28, 2007 – Cook County personnel records show that since Cook County Board President Todd H. Stroger took office in December 2006, his administration has hired 38 people into Shakman-exempt positions – and another 90 Shakman-exempt employees under the President have left the County’s service. Payroll in these slots has been reduced from $7,979,101 to $3,309,207 – or by $4,669,894.

“It’s incumbent on my administration to lead by example in terms of cutting costs and doing more with less,” said President Stroger. “That’s why we’ve worked hard to hold the line on personnel costs, particularly in terms of employees who answer directly to my office and serve at the will of my administration.”

The numbers are summarized below:

• 38: Number of Shakman-exempt employees hired by the President’s Office since December 2006.
• 90: Number of Shakman-exempt employees who have left service in the President’s Office since December 2006.
• $7,979,101: Value of payroll for Shakman-exempt employees who have left service since December 2006.
• $3,309,207: Value of payroll for Shakman-exempt employees who have joined service since December 2006.
• $4,669,894: dollar value of reduction in personnel costs for Shakman-exempt employees.
• 500: number of Shakman-exempt employees who serve under the auspices of the Office of the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
• 466: number of filled Shakman-exempt positions prior to President Stroger’s inauguration.
• 414: number of these Shakman-exempt positions that are currently filled.
• 86: number of current vacancies in Shakman-exempt positions under the Office of the President.
• 17%: percentage of total open Shakman-exempt positions under the Office of the President today.
• 6.8%: percentage of total open Shakman-exempt positions prior to Todd Stroger’s inauguration.
• 52: number of net vacancies in Shakman-exempt positions since President Stroger was sworn in.
• 11%: net reduction in number of Shakman-exempt positions currently filled versus the number filled in December 2006.

Of the roughly 24,000 individuals employed by Cook County government, 500 positions that are appointed directly by the President and that serve at his discretion are identified as "Shakman-exempt." These jobs are not covered by the Shakman Decree, a 1983 ruling that prohibits politics from factoring in the hiring of public employees, with a number of exceptions.

For more information, contact Ibis Antongiorgi, Press Secretary to Cook County Board President Todd H. Stroger, at 312-603-0396 or iantongiorgi@cookcountygov.com. 

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