Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Chicago Sun-Times
by STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter

The head of the Cook County Forest Preserve District is in line for a $12,000 raise -- giving him an annual salary nearly as high as the county board president's.

The proposed $160,000 salary for Supt. Steve Bylina is part of a budget that calls for a 5 percent hike in the forest preserve portion of the property tax bill. Bylina's raise was in a budget amendment disclosed Tuesday and set to be voted on by the county board today.

A second budget amendment would create a deputy superintendent, making $117,000 a year.

Claypool objects

Shown the proposed hikes, Board President Bobbie Steele said she was unaware of them.

District spokesman Steve Mayberry said Steele was briefed on the moves late Tuesday, and the bump for Bylina comes after the district studied similar operations.

The deputy superintendent's position, Mayberry said, is the result of changing job titles and responsibilities.

"At a time when the district is raising property taxes to the maximum and doing nothing to streamline waste, ramming through giant pay raises for top executives is something that should be rejected on its face," said Commissioner Forrest Claypool.