The headline over at Illinois Review today: Amid IL's "Worst Fiscal Conditions In History", Gov Staffers Get 11.4% Raises.  Some staffers got small raises, others got HUGE raises.  Illinois is $4.6 billion in the hole, but and Gov. Quinn's people are get raises and Gov. Quinn is creating new positions with nice salaries.  Where did I hear something like this before....oh, that's right, here in Effingham. 

Almost 1 year to the day, the Effingham City Council gave 11-17% raises to 6 employees totaling $60,000 while the same Effingham City Council borrowed money to "balance the budget".  I still have yet to have one commissioner or the mayor explain how you rob Peter to pay Paul, and call your budget "balanced". 

Here's how the Effingham raises broke down:

City Engineer Steve Miller - $81, 764.80 ---> $95, 617.60  = 16.94%
City Clerk Rick Goeckner - $75,940.80 ---> $84,718.40 = 11.56%  (more on the other raise he got in a minute)
Fire Chief Joe Holomy - $74,131 ---> $84, 718.40 = 14.28%
Police Chief Mike Schutzbach - same as above
Economic Development Director Todd Hull - $70,616 ---> $80,579.20 = 14.11%
Tourism/Marketing Director Kim Wiedman - $41,300 ---> $47,745.50 = 15.61%

Yet when the City Council doled out these raises, the city had a $2 million shortfall in the budget as I explained earlier they borrowed to "balance". 

But the fun doesn't stop there.  Fast forward from last July to a few months ago, and you will find the same City Council creating a new position within the city - Director of Administrative Services.  How much does that job pay?  Try just over $100,000.  So, in just over a year, Goeckner has received an almost 25% raise and a new job title.  He retires at the end of the year and will not be able to work for the city, except as a consultant, but the DAS position will remain.

On Monday July 12th, there will be a public meeting regarding the hiring of the new City Administrator at 5pm at the Council chambers at City Hall.  This hearing will be used to field questions (should have been done before they even voted on a City Administrator) about the City Administrator.  I'll be there, I hope everyone else will be too.