By: Diane Benjamin
Illinois Constitution – Article VIII
What “public purpose” do Christmas bonuses serve? Will the employees leave if they don’t get one? Do the bonuses effect who the employees vote for?
From the Carlock November minutes: Carlock November minutes
Carlock only has part-time employees. Received by FOIA:
Also received by FOIA:
Just because you do it every year that doesn’t make it legal!
What is the “Public Purpose”?
Make employees feel good?
Bonuses are a violation of the law and considered a gift unless it is written into the employment agreements with a measurable result in order to qualify for the bonus. Carlock doesn’t have employment agreements.
Those gift cards are taxable. I will be checking payroll records and W-2’s.
Unfortunately Carlock isn’t the only local government who hands out your money to employees. Once taxes are in their hands, government considers it their money.
If you are looking for a prosecutor you won’t find one. This is Illinois.
One more thing:
Carlock does this every year?
From the December 2018 minutes: http://media.virbcdn.com/files/7b/58a79a7ab3dfd37c-DecemberminutesVOC2018.pdf
Does Michele Becker understand the difference between using a “donation” and “taxpayer” money?
$200 was fine last year, but this year the Board approved $610.
Maybe the taxpayers of Carlock should ask questions.
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1099’s for EVERYONE!
W2’s with taxes deducted!
They’re crooks and should be held accountable.
Other communities dole out bonuses as well. Hudson voted to give $300 to each full time person. Then they made a part-time employee full-time and then voted to give her (the treasurer/water department clerk) a full-time bonus.
Normal hands out over $20.000 every year! I’m waiting for a FOIA for that story.
in 2018, 7 employees divided $200, so they gave gift cards out for $28.57 each? This year, 9 employees are dividing $610, so $67.77 ea. Not logical.
Unless the distributions are not equal. How is that so, with a caveat on the donation in 2018? Also, notice how generosity goes up when its someone else’s money?
Diane, I hope that you get an electric can opener for Christmas, for you open more cans of worms than all of the other news sources. Your diligence is far above par. Corruption is rampant at all levels of government. If we could reduce it by even 20%, that would make a noticeable difference.
The question is can we overcome ignorance and apathy ? The common answer is “I don’t know and I don’t care”.
Nothing changes until more than 10% bother to vote! Federal elections are closer to immaterial, but those they vore in. #Stupidity
I couldn’t find a lot of this without tips from readers!