Mayor’s Row……by Ned Mitchell

          You can call me a genius, a prophet, a soothsayer, a visionary, a political hack, a fortune teller, a wise guy, an egomaniac, or just about anything you want to but here is today’s story.

          If you are a weekly reader of this column you will remember that some time ago, March of 2008 to be exact, I predicted that State Representative Kurt Granberg in the district immediately north of us, would resign his seat and be appointed as the director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  Other main stream media picked up on the notion around September of last year, but I had it a full 6 months before them.  It was kind of like I predicted the reformer/unreformer governor would be indicted over two years ago.

          I’ll have to admit that I was getting worried about my Granberg prediction as the walls began to close in on the reformer/unreformer governor.  If Blagojevich was impeached before he appointed Granberg the I figured there was no way incoming Governor Pat Quinn would buy into that farce.  A huge smile broke across my face though when Granberg announced that he was resigning 4 days before his term was up and conveniently the day before the vote to impeach the Governor in the House of Representatives.  I knew then the deal had been cut and would happen in a matter of days.\

          So here we have another legislator that has bailed out of office only to be appointed to a 6 figure salaried job.  He joins 6 others that I am aware of in the past 4 or 5 years that have done the same thing.

          Granberg was making $81,358.00 while he was Assistant Majority Leader in the House of Representatives.  When he retired he was eligible to draw a pension of $69,155.00, or 85% of his highest salary.  The day he was appointed Director of IDNR he began making $133,000.00 per year.  He will need to work a mere 60 days, you read that right, 60 days to entitle himself to a new pension amount of $113,050.00 per year.  In a matter of 60 days Granberg can increase his pension by $43,895.00 per year which is more than most state employees will draw in pension after 30 years service. 

          Another funny thing about this whole fiasco was that it was done late on a Friday afternoon.  In case you have not noticed anytime a politician wants to hide something from the press they do it late on Friday.  Newspapers for the most part don’t pay attention to what is going on over the weekend so the dirty work is done then in hopes that it will all go away come Monday morning.

          Surely to goodness I won’t be the only political wag to catch on to this huge waste of taxpayer money.  Granberg joins a long line of unqualified political hacks to fill the job of Director of IDNR.  This state agency has been gutted and what was once the flagship of state government; it is now the embarrassment of Illinois.  The last qualified Director in my opinion was Brent Manning. 

          We should all pat the Governor and Granberg on the back for a job well done.  They are really looking out for the tax payers of Illinois.  Assuming Granberg makes it for 60 days, look for him to then resign and go into the lobbying business.  That coupled with his tax free $113,050.00 annual pension with an automatic yearly 3% pay raise for the rest of his life will find him digging into our pockets for years to come.  Makes me want to go out and vote for another incumbent!

          While I am making political predictions I’ll point out another scheme on the horizon.  I think it is a foregone conclusion that the reformer/unreformer is about to be removed from office.  Unless some miracle happens I’d say he will be out of a job by the second week or so of February.

          That will put Lt. Governor Pat Quinn in the Governor’s seat and the fun will begin immediately thereafter.  I have been a fan of Quinn’s since the Dan Walker days.  Both Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan have recently been in the news softly mentioning the need for some sort of tax increase in the very near future.  It is no secret that Illinois will be absolutely out of money as early as March so the legislature has to come up with some sort of revenue increase.  There is not enough time to expand gambling as that will take a year or two to come about.  The problem is the state is out of money now and a year or two will be too late.

          Look for Cullerton and Madigan to put enough votes on a tax increase, or several of them, to pass them and for Quinn to sign them into law.  The state could have their long anticipated capital program, coupled with President Obama’s stimulus package, and we will be awash in money.  We will be hard pressed to spend all of the money we will have but I am sure someone will find a way.

          Once Quinn signs this legislation look for Cullerton and Madigan to grab hold of the corners of the rug Quinn is standing on and pull it completely out from under him.  Madigan has his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan waiting in the wings to take on Quinn.  Don’t say they can’t beat a good man like Quinn; after all they elected old goofy two times to the Governor’s office.  Once they get that done Lisa will be Governor and will have plenty of money to spread around.  It just keeps getting better around here folks.  Remember you read it here!

          The historic Sesser Opera House was the site of a new music video made last Sunday.  The Black Forties band which features Sesser’s own Carly Lappin spent the entire day filming this music video.  We were delighted to be able to provide the building for their use and wish them the best of everything as they continue touring all over the nation with their band.

          Make plans now to attend the Opera House Company’s play “Noises Off” which will be performed February 12, 13, 14, at 7:00 pm and a matinee on Sunday the 15th at 2:00 pm.  Rehearsal is underway and set building is taking place.  We are always looking for volunteers and you could help us in many places.  If you want to join a community theatre group we welcome you.  We can use builders, painters, ticket sales, cleanup crews, stage hands, you name it and we can find a job for you.  Tickets are on sale now at www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 625-5322.  We will have a special Valentine’s Day meal prepared at the historic Opera House so you can have dinner and see a show.

          Memorial bricks for the new Coal Miner’s Memorial in City Park are on sale now.  If you or a loved one worked at Freeman #3 or #6, Inland/Consolidation Coal, or Old Ben #21, #24, #26 we want your name to be around the memorial.  The bricks cost $100.00 each and will have the name you chose inscribed in the brick.  You may call 625-2491 for information.