Totaling the unsustainable tax increases and windfall revenue during Pritzker Administration – Wirepoints
May 26, 2026
23 Comments
With $162 billion more from taxpayers, couldn’t you deliver a few bond upgrades, too
-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Audio and summary 
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
It’s funny that everyone in the school system is really good at math and reading when it comes to their own contract and salary negotiations. Not so good when it comes to doing their actual job, which is instructing students in those same skills.
This is what I want to know, can the kids read and do math? Probably not, talk about a failing public system. The teachers don’t’ complain when they retire and make the same or a higher salary then when working. As the tax payer gets fleeced, the public school system never has enough money. News article about schools always have the statement. “It’s all about the kids” Really!
$285,000. $23,750/month. There is no job in any school district worth this level of compensation. The brain dead board follows along with every other brain dead board to continually pay these ridiculous salaries to these people. What actual measurable value, activity, improvement in teaching, student education in a school district does this role play to justify this level of compensation? I guess the tax payers of Rockford should be glad it is only $285K, there are many that have extorted way more. Rockford should be prepared though…this recent hire will only be there until he can find another job for… Read more »
I agree. The average in Lake and DuPage county is around 300k per year. He should have no problem finding another job around Chicago that’s better than his current salary schedule. If Rockford wants to hold on to him they will need to start paying a competitive wage.
Meh, they’d be smarter to let this con artist go and promote someone internally. No loss. Nothing this position does enhances the district or teaching quality.
You think the internal candidate wouldn’t also make around 285k? That’s the going rate. As you’ve noted, he will probably go on to earn more in the surrounding area. Someone will be hired as a superintendent of the school district either way. Just because you don’t find the position valuable doesn’t mean it isn’t a necessary position. Using your logic, corporations don’t need CEOs.
An internal candidate wouldn’t get that money from a board that had a brain and if perhaps they wouldn’t have a superintendent…what is the down side. I get your point, but really, a school district superintendent is not a CEO, I know they want you to think they are…but really – not. Superintendents are not responsible for much of anything…budgets and forecasts are determined by the previous year and how much tax money the state will provide them, hiring and firing of people is done by others, policy is set by the board, instructional standards and requirements are set by… Read more »
The salary of the superintendent prior to this hire made 257K last year. Even a 5% bump would have put that salary at 271K. Sorry, but 285K is not far off and definitely in the ball park of a reasonable contract. As it is, you’ve noted that the newest hire could easily move on to make more money. That only happens when you are below target compensation.
I guess the perceived value of this job is in the eye of the beholder.
That’s the case for nearly everything else, too, isn’t it? One man’s treasure is another’s junk and vice-versa. Absolutes in life are rare by comparison. Glad you “woke up” to reality. Now, go spread the good news to all the absolutists you encounter.
Don’t ever call me “woke”. My perception of the value of this job has not changed. These positions are grossly over paid and over valued. The only reason it continues is because of brain dead boards who continue to repeat the errors of the past and follow the crowd. Lets all “reimagine” a different pay scale for this useless position.