Public servants should not get pensions

O’Fallon’s aldermen officially decided they do not work the equivalent of 20 hours a week for 50 weeks of the year. Without logging that 1,000 hours of work, they cannot participate in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and eventually earn themselves a pension.

Just two of the 14 aldermen — Mike Bennett and Kevin Hagarty — were participating in the retirement fund, costing the city $500 a year. The council’s vote cut off the benefit as of Aug. 1.

Good for them.

Being a servant of the people should not be self-serving. Elected leaders are expected to have jobs or have had jobs, not turn to taxpayers for support.

O’Fallon pays aldermen $4,800 a year for their service. Seems like plenty, especially when you consider school board members carry a huge responsibility and work for zero pay.

Collinsville pays council members $3,000 a year, and no pension benefit.

Belleville pays about $11,086 in salary to each alderman. For all 16, that costs more than $177,376 in straight salary.

Seven Belleville aldermen are in the IMRF, costing the city about $9,000 a year. Aldermen James Musgrove, Johnnie Anthony, Phillip Silsby, Ken Kinsella, Kent Randle, Trent Galetti and Joe Hazel participate in the retirement plan.

To participate, those seven aldermen are saying they work at least 1,000 hours a year, or four hours each weekday, serving the city. Boy, that is a lot of meetings and face time with constituents.

Retirement for city council members may not be the biggest budget item and may not yield them much retirement income, but it shows an entitlement mindset from those who should be participating in public service. It is also just one more straw on the humped backs of taxpayers.

Correction: An earlier version named the wrong two O’Fallon aldermen who participated in the city retirement plan.

This story was originally published August 16, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Public servants should not get pensions."