When Gov. Jim Edgar gave his State of the State address in January, he made it clear he wanted to use his last year in office to prepare Illinois for the 21st Century.
What he didn’t say is he would appoint members of his inner circle, including his patronage chief, to fill high-paying state government jobs that run into the next millennium–long after he leaves the public payroll.
On Wednesday, Glenn Poshard’s Democratic gubernatorial campaign condemned Edgar’s most recent appointments as “golden parachutes” that provide job security for the outgoing Republican governor’s aides no matter who is elected the next governor.
“It raises concerns about the ability to govern and about political payoffs with taxpayers’ money,” Poshard spokesman Joe Novak said.
Novak said he hoped Edgar “would see fit for the next governor to be unencumbered and be able to govern with his own people–and not people left over from the previous administration.”
Edgar defended the appointments he made Tuesday, saying they represent a “necessity of government.”
“Just because I’m not running doesn’t mean I stop doing my job,” said Edgar, whose term ends in January.
The marquee name on Edgar’s appointment list is Janis Cellini, the patronage chief and sister of Republican powerbroker William Cellini. Edgar recommended her for the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, a part-time job that would pay $67,019. The job would last into 2004–well after the next governor finishes his term.
Other members of the governor’s staff who received appointments included Elena Kezelis, Edgar’s top lawyer and a nominee for the $83,514-a-year job as a member of the Illinois Pollution Control Board; Arabel Rosales, executive director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and nominee for a $33,508-a-year job on the Human Rights Commission; and Michael McCormick, Edgar’s senior personal assistant and nominee for the chairmanship of the State Labor Relations Board, a post that will pay him $74,464 a year.
All of them would receive smaller salaries than they do now, with the biggest pay cut being a $30,000 reduction for Janis Cellini.
“Because I know someone, someone has worked with me, I don’t think disqualifies them from one of these appointments,” Edgar said.
In recent months, Edgar also has named former press secretary Michael Lawrence to the state Board of Ethics, former top campaign strategist Philip O’Connor to the State Board of Elections, deputy chief of staff Allen Grosboll to the State Employees Retirement System and former press aide Guy Chipparoni to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority.
O’Connor’s position is salaried while the others pay only expenses.
Edgar contended every governor has made appointments up to the point in which his term ran out.
His predecessor, James R. Thompson, was renowned for helping members of his administration score major private-sector jobs or helping them land state contracts.
But Thompson also made some high-profile appointments to public positions near the end of his 14-year reign, including nominating Kim Fox, executive director of his campaign committee, as a Chicago Transit Authority director; and Robert Mandeville, his former budget director, as the state’s taxpayer ombudsman.
David Urbanek, a spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate George Ryan, said he did not think Ryan would quibble with Edgar’s appointments.
“He is still the governor, and last time I checked he has the power to make those appointments,” he said.
Some lawmakers even gave a backhanded compliment to Edgar after years of criticizing his unwillingness to play the political game.
“It’s the most guts he has shown in the 7 1/2 years he’s been the governor,” said Sen. Denny Jacobs (D-East Moline).
But Jacobs maintained Edgar should consider making temporary appointments so the next governor can name his own people.
“I think we should hold off on all of those appointments that go beyond the year 1999 . . . until the new governor gets elected,” Jacobs said.
“It doesn’t make much sense to me to appoint someone to the year 2002 or 2004 at this point in time when we have an election coming up and a new governor will be elected,” he said.
Even if Democrats oppose those Edgar nominees who require Senate confirmation, there is still a GOP majority in the chamber that has virtually rubber-stamped the governor’s past appointments.
