Mitch Crocetti, chief of the Pingree Grove & Countryside Fire Protection District, earns $117,500 annually in his current role. But that’s not all—his pension from a 30-year career with the Wood Dale Fire Department adds another $124,037 each year.

Crocetti is among at least 15 suburban fire chiefs who are drawing six-figure salaries while also collecting pensions and potentially building toward a second public pension. According to a Daily Herald analysis of fire pension records, this practice is becoming increasingly common.

He explained that smaller departments benefit by offering lower salaries to retirees on pensions. “That’s how a lot of these smaller departments can afford to have experienced, educated chiefs,” he said. “Without these kinds of benefits, I don’t know how a smaller community could draw someone.”

However, some lawmakers are pushing back. State Rep. Grant Wehrli, a Republican from Naperville, plans to introduce a bill next session that would end this practice for police, following similar legislation passed last year. The new law, set to take effect in January, will prevent police retirees from taking new police jobs and receiving a second pension.

“It’s an egregious abuse of the pension systems that allows someone to collect a retirement benefit while still working in the same line of work,” Wehrli said.

The 15 fire chiefs analyzed in the report average an annual salary of $137,597 and receive pension payouts averaging $104,762 per year.

Robert Hoff, chief of the Carol Stream Fire Protection District, receives more from his Chicago Fire Department pension—$122,472—than his current salary of $113,645. For most others, their current salary exceeds their pension payments.

Alan Wax, fire chief of Des Plaines, has the highest combined payout at $287,333, with a salary of $161,709 and a pension of $125,624. Next year, he will become vested in a new pension program after 10 years with the department.

Madeleine Doubek, vice president of policy at the Better Government Association, criticized the system. “It’s triple dipping,” she said. “Most people believe a pension is supposed to be something you collect when you’re no longer working full-time—and that’s clearly not what’s happening here.”

In Warrenville, Dennis Rogers Jr. serves as fire chief while also receiving a pension from his previous role as a sheriff’s deputy. He also participates in the local fire district’s pension plan and will eventually qualify for a second pension.

Some firefighters collect pensions from former departments but choose different retirement benefits at their new jobs. Some even receive up to 15% of their salary into 401(k)-style public employee retirement accounts.

Firefighters typically contribute about 9.5% of their pay toward pensions. Most fire pension funds expect a 7% annual return on investments. If this target isn’t met, taxpayers must cover the shortfall. Many towns have failed to fully fund pensions for years, leading to increased taxpayer burden.

Crocetti argued that past funding shortfalls are partly to blame for the current pension crisis. “I don’t get to say I’m going to contribute less than required and catch up later,” he said. “That’s what started the mess, and we’ve lost out on investment income we’ll never get back.”

Firefighters receive 75% of their final salary as a pension after 30 years of service, with benefits starting at age 50 and growing by 3% annually.

Unlike firefighters, most public employees—including teachers, librarians, judges, and city workers—are subject to statewide retirement systems. This means they can’t retire from one town and start collecting a new pension in another. Most require over 40 years of service to maximize their benefits.

Meanwhile, Illinois has over 600 separate police and fire pension boards, which allow firefighters and police to collect multiple pensions. “There are many groups that recognize the inefficiency of 600 different pension funds,” Doubek said. “There are better ways to manage this, and the police pension reform should serve as a model for all public employees.”

Wehrli’s bill aims to close the pension loophole for police, though it may not stop them from starting new pensions with state agencies or other roles like teaching or legislating.

Thanks, Martin

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