Call me cynical, but I expect Senate President Emil Jones to end up getting paid a lot more than he does now after leaving office in January.

I expect his good buddy Governor Rod Blagojevich,to put Jones on the payroll so that Jones can get a much bigger public pension than he would otherwise.

Jones, of course, has not made it a secret that he wanted a higher salary.

Oh, Jones won’t work long. Just long enough to increase his pension base to the new salary.

It’s a typical strategy.

Ask former State Rep. Roger Stanley, whom Secretary of State George Ryan put briefly on the payroll to increase his pension.

Media types are talking about his going to work for Barack Obama when he gets elected president.

Maybe, but I think there will be interim employment.