Mayor’s Row………by Ned Mitchell

                Honest to goodness, I am not making this up!  If you will remember some time back I wrote about a State Senator by the name of Carol Ronen from Chicago resigning her position and taking a job with the reformer/unreformer.  In that column I quoted Ronan as saying she was having “fun” in the newly created position custom designed just for her.  I even added that not only was she all smiles and having fun, she was also laughing all the way to the bank.

                You see I knew exactly what this was, a scam on the pension system that ultimately falls on the backs of every taxpayer in Illinois.  Ronan only surprised me by staying in the job for such a short time.    Follow along closely and we will go through what has just happened to you, the taxpayer.  Ronen left her job as a state legislator making $75,301.00 per year which in my opinion was a one hundred per cent waste of money in that I served with the woman in the State Senate and was never impressed with her brand of “public service”. But still in all she was elected by the voters in her district.

                When Ronen retired she was eligible to draw a pension of $64,005.00 per year which is not a bad sum of money for someone like her who says she has devoted her entire career to “public service”.  What she has recently done just proves she has devoted her career to feed at the public trough!  The reformer/unreformer created a job for Ronan that paid $120,000.00 per year.  She only had to keep that job for one month to increase her pension.  She actually only stayed on the job eight weeks and left to “volunteer” in Barack Obama’s campaign.  My guess is she is right now working on a federal position so she can start on another pension.

                Now Ronan, after working only eight weeks is drawing a pension of $102,000.00 per year.  But wait, that’s not all, she also gets an automatic annual boost of 3% for the rest of her life.  But wait, that’s not all, she also does not have to pay Illinois income tax or 3% on that money either.  Hey folks, it does not get any better than that!  In a matter of weeks Ronen saw her pension increase by $38,000.00 per year all compliments of me and you.

                Ronen further added insult to injury by saying she intended to stay on the job longer but due to the toxic environment in Springfield circumstances just would not allow her to stay on the job.  Why would anyone in their right mind want to work every day, assuming she actually showed up and did anything in the first place, and make $120,000.00 per year when you could just quit and make $102,000.00 per year and not have to show up anywhere or do anything?  It should make us consider just who is responsible for creating this “toxic” environment in Springfield.  I know it wasn’t me and I am sure it wasn’t you.

                Illinois has one of the most generous pension systems for state elected officials in the United States.  Illinois also has the largest pension debt in the United States.  Do you ever stop and think if the two are connected?  To be honest though Ronen is not the only one doing this.  It is just that others, many right here in our backyard have worked longer and are still working mainly because they could not get by on a pension that pays such a paltry sum.  Legislators throughout Illinois have set this system up and folks I am here to tell you that it is a scam.  They stay in the legislature as long as they want, retire, get appointed to a much higher paying position, work one month and increase their pension by thousands of dollars.  Is there any wonder things are rotten in Springfield? Again, if you are not outraged you simply are not paying attention but my friend, you ARE paying the bill!

                Sesser’s Maple Hill Cemetery took on a new look for Memorial Day this year.  City workers put in overtime hours to get the job done of installing 100 new American flags along State Highway 148.  That in combination with efforts from some people and organizations that raised part of the money made for a very nice look just in time for Memorial Day weekend.  It is quite a site to see approaching the historic and well maintained cemetery.  The cemetery grounds were well groomed by Lisa and Jim Muir and others and even though the mower broke down Alderman Bob Woll was ever ready to do a quick pit stop repair and get it back in service again.  Flags were placed on the Veteran’s graves by members of the Sesser VFW and American Legion posts and a Boy Scout troop.  All in all Sesser had a fantastic looking cemetery for Memorial Day as we paid tribute to veterans.  It takes a lot of people to make this city work like it does and I am grateful for each of you and the important part you play.  From the comments and phone calls I have received others are pleased with the results too.

                Members of the class of 1948 who graduated from the Goode-Barren Township High School had a 60 year class reunion in the Woll Room of the historic Opera House.  The class members, many of whom left Sesser after graduation and have retired elsewhere, enjoyed a great meal and a lot of recollections of their days in Sesser.  They had time for me to make a short presentation on what Sesser has been doing and where we are planning on going in the future.  Even though they graduated here 60 years ago, they were still interested in Sesser’s future and that impressed me a great deal.  We toured the Opera House Theatre and it thrilled me to hear them say how happy they were that we have restored the old building to its’ original grandeur.

                Start making plans now for the Sesser Homecoming that will be here before we know it.  This year the event will be held on June 18, 19, 20, and 21.  We have a new feature this year which is a 3K marathon that is open to anyone who wants to run, walk, or ride in the event.  There will be the usual great food, horse pull, carnival, car show, parade, and nightly shows in the city park.  It is a great time for family in a safe environment.  We will keep you posted as to the events that are being held that week and also the following week with some fantastic events at the Opera House.  Summer is upon us and we are going to be very busy around Sesser!