Board narrowly rejects amendment to raise nonunion pay to 5%; agrees to table 3.5% baseline for budget review

The LaSalle County Board on July 10 considered a resolution to increase wages for all current nonunion county employees for the fiscal year beginning Dec. 1, 2025. The resolution before the board would grant nonunion employees — excluding those whose salaries are set by other boards or previously adjusted — “a 3.5 percent or $1 per hour, whichever is greater, increase in their wages.” County Board member Traeger moved to amend the measure to 5%, saying nonunion staff “deserve a bigger raise” and estimating that increase would cost roughly $150,000 annually. Vote on amendment and tabling Members voted on the amendment to increase the raise from 3.5% to 5%. The amendment failed on a roll call, 11 ayes and 16 nays. After additional discussion about budgeting and property-tax pressures, the board voted on a motion to table the original resolution to the next full meeting; the table motion carried 15 ayes to 12 nays. Why it matters: Board members debating the amendment cited recruitment and retention concerns for county offices and said many public- and private-sector raises this year are near 3.5%. Members opposing the higher amendment said the board should be conservative given property-tax pressures and pending budget work. Implementation and next steps The tabling vote sends the 3.5% baseline for further review with elected officials and department heads; county officials said tabling would allow the budget to be advanced with a baseline assumption and be revisited if revenues permit a larger increase. Discussion-only items and clarifications Several members raised procedural and budgetary questions, including estimates of the number of affected employees (approximately 150–160) and the expected dollar impact; members asked for verification of the $150,000 figure before any upward change. No salary changes were implemented at the July 10 meeting.