"Public service is literally defined as 'serving the people.' Today, however, our public servants have figured out how to serve

themselves, gaming the system to line their pockets."

Adam Andrzejewski, CEO OpenTheBooks.com

Citizens aren’t doing enough to stop taxpayer abuse in their own backyards.

The latest salary and compensation data captured by our organization and posted at OpenTheBooks.com from fiscal year 2017 shows local governments need far more scrutiny. 

In Illinois, we found 144 employees at local units of government making more than $190,000 and out-earning every governor.

Consider these examples of Illinois Big Dogs:

• There are 89 small-town and village administrators out-earning every state governor. The top-paid village manager was Michael Ellis in the Village of Grayslake, making $273,289. Two administrators in the Village of Rosemont made more than $255,000 each for managing a village with 4,200 residents.

• Not only are taxpayers forced to fund these administrators’ massive salaries, but, in some case, they also fund the pricey mortgages for their homes. In Lake Bluff Village, Village Manager Drew Irvin received a $200,000 housing loan. Deerfield Village Manager Kent Street signed his contract, receiving a $100,000 housing loan. 

• Two cable TV producers employed at Niles School District 219 are making six-figures to run the district’s cable TV channel. Michael Hoffman, made $102,432, while his coworker Robert Henderson’s salary spiked from $102,766 in 2016 to $220,542 in 2017. 

Then, there's the salary spiking...