Illinois House authorizes nepotism, self-hiring in all units of local government –
Get elected – hire yourself – be your own supervisor: PRICELESS! https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2019/04/bolingbrook-village-clerk-hired-herself-as-her-own-full-time-assistant/
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 HB3596and 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).
