East Central Reporter

There has been ongoing discussion regarding the compensation of Thornton Township elected officials. The focus is on how the situation developed rather than the specific amounts paid.

An article published on May 24, 2022, criticized the 2020 compensation ordinance for being incorrect. It highlighted that compensation should be based on position rather than tenure and mentioned potential violations of the Local Government Travel Expense Control Act due to per diem rates.

During a Thornton Township meeting on September 27, 2022, public comments addressed concerns about an unlawful compensation ordinance passed by a previous board of trustees. The argument was that any ordinance should establish pay based solely on position.

On December 19, 2023, another piece discussed a new unlawful ordinance which was later revoked by township board vote.

A significant development occurred when Public Act 103-0600 was signed into law on July 1, 2024. This act prohibits certain types of compensation in Cook County Township ordinances and invalidates those with provisions for different pay scales for newly elected versus reelected supervisors. “A township is prohibited from decreasing the salary for a person elected as supervisor of a township while maintaining the salary of an incumbent. An ordinance that violates this paragraph is null and void.”

With PA 103-0600 in effect, it appears both the 2020 and 2023 ordinances are now nullified according to law.

On April 6, 2025, an appeal was made to newly elected officials to seek court clarification regarding current compensation ordinances' validity under PA 103-0060 and previous voided ordinances. This action could confirm or adjust their salaries legally.

Without judicial intervention, it seems reasonable to align current official salaries with what predecessors received while ensuring equal pay among all township trustees regardless of tenure length.

Current officials adhere to past boards' set compensations. The critical issue is identifying which parts remain valid after PA 103-0600's enactment.

Residents doubting current compensations can pursue circuit court relief; thus urging the township board toward declaratory judgment might resolve legality questions surrounding their payment structures.