Manley Introduces Bill to Stop Political “Double Dipping”

JOLIET, Ill. – Concerned about good government and transparency, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, has introduced legislation prohibiting local elected officials from hiring themselves in a position they oversee.

“The fact that an elected official would ‘hire themselves’ and take advantage of the taxpayers is further evidence that government consolidation is in order,” Manley said. “When the law provides that an elected official can hire themselves or accept the benefits that come with the additional position, then the law needs to be changed to protect taxpayers.”

Manley has introduced House Bill 2184, which would explicitly prohibit individuals who have been elected or appointed to a public office in a unit of local government from hiring themselves to a position that the public office oversees. Manley’s legislation is in response to a city clerk in Bolingbrook who hired themselves to be their own assistant.

“If an elected official determines that they do not need staff, this is an opportunity to be a true leader and save the taxpayers the cost of an unnecessary salary expense,” Manley said. “In Illinois, with the serious financial challenges we face, we must work smarter and weed out abusive practices by changing the law to prevent these abuses.”