Ten percent pay cut for governor?

In the June 15 Fence Post, William Gorski hit the nail on the head as an important way to balance the state of Illinois budget. Our state leaders are ready to cut everyone's salary but their own. They will slash badly needed money for social services, for single mothers, little children, the elderly, the poor, the unemployed. Balance the budget on the backs of the less fortunate.

When money is tight, our state and county lawmakers never cut their salary, even temporarily. They never touch their cushy defined benefit pensions. They have to actively reject a salary increase. Wouldn't it be wonderful to automatically receive a pay raise, by law, by doing nothing?

Our leaders never see themselves as part of the state and its lack of money; they only see themselves as above the rest of the citizens in this state. Their main concern is their own needs for power which requires money.

I believe we have a few good political leaders in Springfield and DuPage County. I believe that Governor Quinn is an honest politician who is faced with an impossible situation. Certainly he is an improvement from the governors in recent memory. I urge Governor Quinn to take a pay cut of at least 10 percent in the next two years and demand that from all state leaders and staff to do the same. We citizens of Illinois desperately need leaders who will put the needs of financially strapped citizens ahead of their own narrow needs.

We residents of Illinois have to be ready to take the streets, to peacefully demonstrate our needs. We have to become more active and organized, statewide, if we ever hope to elect leaders who are honest politicians and seek first the common good in office before they seek their own good.

Thomas Power

Wheaton