How Much Free Gas Is Joliet's City Manager Getting?

JOLIET, IL — The price of gasoline has never been higher in Illinois than it has been in 2022, but for Joliet City Manager Jim Capparelli and several of the city's department heads, soaring gasoline prices are of no consequence to them.

That's because Joliet's taxpayers subsidize their gasoline, thanks to a city ordinance that governs the compensation and fringe benefits for Joliet's department heads.

Earlier this month, Joliet Patch broke the news, revealing that in addition to Capparelli, a total of 1o department heads are eligible for getting up to 20 gallons of gasoline every week, free of charge, at the city's fuel pumps.

But how much gasoline, funded by the Joliet taxpayers, does that amount to for Capparelli, who is already the city's highest employee at $198,000 annually?

Joliet Patch recently submitted a follow-up Freedom of Information Act request to Joliet's City Hall. Patch sought to find out how often Capparelli and some of his department heads are heading to Joliet's fuel pumps to fill up their personal vehicles with taxpayer-funded gasoline at a time when Joliet's taxpayers are suffering economically from rising inflation and record-setting fuel prices at Joliet's gas stations.

The city responded to Patch's FOIA by providing data for Capparelli, city finance director Jim Ghedotte, corporation counsel Sabrina Spano and public utilities director Allison Swisher. Patch did not request the data for Joliet's police chief, fire chief and public works director since those men are furnished take home vehicles from the city of Joliet.

In any event, Joliet indicated it had no fuel data records for city clerk Christa Desiderio, information technology director David Braner and community development director Eva-Marie Tropper.

Jim Capparelli

Current salary $198,000

Used his city gas card 25 times during the first six months of 2022 at no cost to himself.

Quantity: 373.7 gallons

Public Utilities Director Allison Swisher

Current salary $158,476,

Used her city gas card 25 times during the first six months of 2022 at no cost to herself.

Quantity: 452.2 gallons

Finance Director Jim Ghedotte

Current salary $156,072

Used his city gas card 34 times during the first six months of 2022 at no cost to himself.

Quantity: 315.9 gallons

Corporation Counsel Sabrina Spano

Current salary $157,187

Used her city gas card 24 times during the first six months of 2022 at no cost to herself.
Quantity: 264.4 gallons

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Free Fuel, $100K-Plus Salaries For Joliet's Department Heads