How would you like a raise between 11-17%?  Would you expect a raise outside cost of living adjustments (maybe not even then) if your company was in financial trouble?  What about your local government?  Would you support giving a 11-17% raise to our state legislators?  Probably not. 

Apparently, the city of Effingham has a different view on things than most people - at least 3 out of 5 commissioners that is.  We here at downstateiladvocate.com believe in responsible government and that includes spending our tax dollars wisely.  We salute Karen Flach and Alan Harris in this instance for standing up for the taxpayers. 

The rest of the city council - Mayor John Lange, Merv Gillenwater, and Larry Micenheimer decided it was better to give raises because they have "gone a couple of months without cost of living increases".  The cost of living in Effingham isn't that high to begin with, and I seriously doubt that the cost of living has increased 11-17%, let alone over the course of "a couple of months".  This comes at a time where just about everyone has seen their property taxes increased.  Ours increased by over $100 from last year whereas others in town have seen much higher increases.  All the city employees that received raises were salaried employees. 

Mayor Lange is quoted in the Effingham Daily News that they deserved their raises because "some salaried employees were given raises to make up for the extra hours they worked and are not paid for".  Last time I checked it was a given that the extra hours worked by salaried employees was offset by the benefit packages (which I'm sure are nothing to scoff at).  

Just so you know, the base salary of an Illinois legislator (before increases for leadership positions) is $67,000.  How often do we complain about them making too much??

The biggest joke about the raises is the fact that Economic Development Director  Todd Hull's salary was increased to $80, 579.20 (Effingham Daily News published numbers).  Last time I looked around town, there wasn't much "economic development" this year or even when the economy was at full steam.  If anything, Effingham has bled jobs and I don't care what anyone says, you cannot count construction jobs as job increases because they're temporary.  The jobs Effingham has attracted have been mostly minimum wage or just slightly above.  I earn minimum wage right now because it is the only job I can have while going to school full-time and still expect to get good grades and have the time to study.  To see these salaried positions receive NICE raises gives a raise to my blood pressure.  Maybe we need to have another Tea Party in front of City Hall and demand that the council take back the $60,000 spent on those raises - which is our tax money.  

If those that received the raises think they are being treated badly and unfairly by the city because they didn't get their raises (BECAUSE THE CITY IS BROKE!), they should feel free to resign and join the 9.5% of Americans without jobs in the unemployment line. 

The last time I had talked to Don Eden, who used to be one of the only taxpayer watchdogs on the city council - like him or hate him - the city of Effingham is looking at a deficit of $20 million over the next couple of years.  So hold on to your wallets, it's going to be a bumpy ride here pretty soon.