By: Diane Benjamin
Recently the Town of Normal agreed to rent space to Rep Dan Brady for $1. He uses the space in Uptown for his District Office. If Uptown property is so valuable now, why is Normal leasing space for $1? Maybe taxpayers should ask.
My thoughts went a different direction. For both Fiscal years 2014 and 2015, Dan was allotted $69,400 for a district office. Bill Brady was allotted $83,063 for his district office.
I filed a Freedom of Information Act with both the Illinois House and the Illinois Senate for how the allotments were spent. The House was easy, they had am email address for FOIA requests on their website. The Senate website had an address to either MAIL the request to or drop it off in person. I eventually convinced the Senate leadership office that we are in 2015 while their level of service was Pony Express. I was able to get an email address and they actually answered the FOIA faster than the House.
Remember, legislators are considered part-time in Illinois.
I found this website from 2011 listing what Illinois legislators are paid: http://fox2now.com/2012/11/11/you-paid-for-it-illinois-state-lawmaker-salaries-revealed/
| NAME …….. | SALARY …. .. | STIPEND | MILEAGE | PER DIEM |
| Brady, Daniel | $ 64,717.08 | $ 17,236.32 | $ 1,166.88 | $ 8,325.00 |
| Brady, William | $ 64,717.08 | $ 18,879.05 | $ 1,123.20 | $ 7,437.00 |
The Stipend is for being in leadership. According to the Illinois Policy Institute, the 2012 salaries were higher: http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-state-representative-salaries-for-2012/
Members of the Illinois General Assembly are among the highest-paid state legislators in the country.
According to the National Conference of State Legislators, Illinois lawmakers earned a base salary of $67,836 in 2012, along with a $111 per diem for each session day. Legislators in nearby Indiana earn just $22,616 a year.
Here’s the good news. It looks like for Fiscal Year 2014, Dan Brady didn’t spend $12,394.18 of what he was allotted for his District Office. Bill Brady didn’t spend $6,702.25 of his allotment.
You can see where the money was spent below. Buying local doesn’t seem to be a high priority – Google some of the business names. Both show salaries to office staff, nothing excessive. The media is getting a share. Various Chamber of Commerce locations also get some. See what you think:
Dan Brady fiscal 2014 (complete year)
Bill Brady Fiscal 2014 (complete year)
Keep in mind – it’s YOUR money.
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Maybe you should ask. I expect more from BLN. The State of Illinois pays Dan Brady’s rent. Why should the Town gouge the state to charge Dan rent?
Better question: What does Normal want it return?
Renting the space for $1 violates State Law! It can only be rented for “Fair Market Value”. The question “Rob” should be asking is “Why should the citizen’s of Normal subsidize his office space when other citizens in his district are not doing so?”
We wrote about this issue and Vermilion County here: http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2014/06/vermilion-county-board-violates-law-gives-real-estate-away/
A 1974 Attorney General Opinion includes plenty of reference to Supreme and Appellate Court cases where it was ruled that any sale or lease MUST be for fair market value: http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/RealEstateOpinion.pdf
Someone should sue the City of Normal and Dan Brady should be publicly embarrasses over this raping of the taxpayers of Normal.