Illinois Leaks Points to Bill Authorizing Nepotism, Double-Dipping

From Illinois Leaks, reprinted with permission:

Illinois House authorizes nepotism, self-hiring in all units of local government –

BY JMKRAFT ON APRIL 11, 2019 • ( 13 COMMENTS )

SPRINGFIELD, IL. (ECWd) –

Get elected – hire yourself – be your own supervisor:  PRICELESS!

The Illinois House of Representatives passed, by a unanimous vote, House Bill 3501 which directly conflicts with every existing statute and law prohibiting conflicts of interest, self dealing, and nepotism in units of local government.

Rep. Natalie Manley (D), Romeoville, was the Chief Sponsor of this Bill, and Sen Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D), Plainfield, picked it up in the Senate.

The offensive text of HB3501:

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the governing body of the unit of local government may hire or appoint an elected or appointed official to a second position in the unit of local government with a salary or hourly wages by ordinance or resolution if the ordinance or resolution states the salary or total compensation of an hourly position.

There you have it, if this gets a green light in the Senate and signed by the Governor, every unit of local government in the State of Illinois can simply vote to hire themselves for paid positions within the unit of government they are elected to serve.

Nepotism and self-dealing will be authorized by statute. Hell, the County Board could simply hire a private attorney under HB 3596 and create new employment opportunities as “admin assistant” to the private attorney position within county government and hire themselves into the newly created jobs.

How easy is that?

This affects all units of local government in Illinois, including

  • townships
  • school districts
  • street light districts
  • park district
  • municipalities
  • counties
  • mosquito abatement districts
  • water district
  • forest preserves
  • airport authorities, and
  • every other local government.

So here’s the chance for all you unethical double-dippers: Get elected or appointed to any unit of local government, then create new “employment positions” (or fire good workers so you can hire yourself) and vote to hire yourselves for a premium self-supervised job with great salaries/hourly pay. Just make sure it is in a resolution or ordinance format, and you are golden!

Here is a true example (and consequentially the reason for this legislation in the first place): Bolingbrook City Clerk increase her pay by more than $50K per year by hiring herself as her own full-time assistant (read about it here).


Comments

Illinois Leaks Points to Bill Authorizing Nepotism, Double-Dipping — 8 Comments

  1. Ugh. One position, no relatives.

    Doesn’t seem that hard.

    I guess the temptation of all that public money is just too much.

    Someday.

  2. ASK ROBERT MILLER POSTER CHILD FOR WHY NEPOTISM IS WRONG

    His parents were wonderful examples

    And then there’s DAVID and Anna

    Should the millers pay it all back of course will they ,…..stay tuned

  3. Bill to allow Passed unanimously!

    What does that tell you?

    Bet this is part of that “Transform Illinois” group’s agenda.

    They’re the ones pushing this county chairman dictatorship thing that keeps showing up slipped into other bills!

    I encourage you to look into who the members are and vote them out!

    DRAIN THE SWAMP that is “TRANSFORM ILLINOIS”!!!

  4. While I do not agree with this bill in total, odds are the Republicans supported the bill because of clause (a) which the dogs left out of their post.:

    (a) An elected or appointed official of a unit of local government many not hire or appoint himself or herself to a second position in the unit of local government if the second position is a salaried or hourly position.

    The bill is now in the Senate and if you do not agree that it should become law, call your State Senator and voice your opinion. Request removal of (b) and retention of only (a).

    Ask your Senator to advise you in advance if this bill is assigned to a committee for discussion and you can file a witness slip.

    Regardless, if you do not agree with the bill contact your Senator.

    Go to this link: http://www.ilga.gov/senate/

    Click on your Senator’s name and some contact info will appear.

  5. Out of Towner, try again.

    We linked to the actual bill so everyone could read the whole bill and we pointed out the BAD part of the bill in the context of the article.

    It now turns out they are trying to change section (b) because they were misled and failed to read it.

    This bill is tied to the actions of Bolingbrook Clerk.

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