Joliet City Council District 1 Candidate Larry Hug has released a press release stating that if he is elected, he will present a plan to eliminate health insurance for sitting council members as well as any and all retirement plans in addition to banning lifetime health insurance for former council members.
Joliet City Council District 3 Candidate Richard Rodriguez started a website calling for an end to free lifetime health benefits for retired Council Members, and the Joliet City Council voted to end those lifetime benefits for future council members at a February 2011 meeting (see details here).
"Call me old fashioned, but I believe that running for election is a call to civic duty," said Hug, "not a chance to force your fellow residents to pay for your personal benefits that many can't afford for their own families."
"When you are elected and compensated in dollars for your time you are answering the call of civic duty," said Hug, "but when you also receive health insurance and retirement, in many cases for life, you are involved in a career. I for one am tired of career politicians on any level."
Hug has outlined a plan to eliminate lifetime health insurance for former council members that would also eliminate health insurance for sitting council members and all retirement for any council members. He estimates this would save the city over $300,000 a year and "end the insanity."
"Whoever originally enacted this lunacy should be ashamed," said Hug, "There's no way it can be logically explained other than to say those people were looking out for their personal interests only, and not the interests of the people of Joliet."
Hug is one of six candidates for District 1 challenging incumbent Joseph Shetina. The six challengers are:
IIona Vaughn
Larry E. Hug
Vanessa Romeo
James Lipinski
Donald C. West Jr.
Steve Cammack
Hug is one of six candidates for District 1 challenging incumbent Joseph Shetina. The six challengers are:
IIona Vaughn
Larry E. Hug
Vanessa Romeo
James Lipinski
Donald C. West Jr.
Steve Cammack
If any candidate for elected office in Joliet (or anywhere else in Will County) would like to send in their press releases, email them to: willcountynews@gmail.com.
I could not agree more with Larry Hug. People who have been running the tax payers into the ditch while reaping all the benefits for themselves. I have sat back patiently and observed those running for office. We need people to be elected on the content of their character and not whats in it for them. Immediately I have seen city employees attacked by those seeking a cheap vote. Beware of those with just talking points.
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