Saturday Soapbox: Old pols never leave

When longtime Kane County Board member Jan Carlson of Elburn stepped down early, resigning from the board this week after being defeated in the Republican primary, he left behind a dozen years of institutional knowledge. But he'll be proving another adage -- that old pols never really leave. They just move to a new job on the government payroll. In Carlson's case, it'll be as a member of an expanded Regional Transportation Authority board of directors, complete with a $25,000 salary and benefits. Not bad after having been tossed from your last job.

A bill too far

It's not too hard to see why Elgin School District U-46 taxpayers have already forked over nearly $4.6 million in legal fees in its defense against a discrimination lawsuit. The district's own lawyers submitted a $14,775 bill to the court for a nine-page document, three pages of which contain an actual legal argument, four pages of which were background and two pages of which were signatures. Yes, the bill was meant to go to the plaintiffs' lawyers, but the frustrated judge certainly shared the sentiments of district taxpayers when he called the bill "shockingly excessive." Pretty much like the whole case so far.

Indicted, but still paid

And speaking of Elgin taxpayers, they've also been paying the wages of police officer Chris Darr since New Year's Day even though he has been doing little on their behalf since he was taken off the street following accusations he'd beaten a brawl suspect while off duty. The investigation into a hotel brawl that injured Darr's father, a former Elgin deputy police chief, and prompted the complaint was turned over to a special prosecutor because of the close relationship between police and the Kane County state's attorney. Now Chris Darr has been indicted, but he's still being paid. Taxpayers must wonder how long that tab will be theirs.

Phone tree needed

Parents were understandably angry when they learned their grade-school children's principal had been arrested on drug and sex charges involving teenage girls. As upsetting as those sordid charges were, they were outraged to first learn the news from reporters instead of Nippersink School District officials as they arrived to take their children home from school amid a media circus. To their credit, school officials have since taken steps to keep parents and the community in the loop. But how is it a school can quickly inform parents of a snow day but not of something of this magnitude?

Thinking green

Who knew that still very Republican McHenry County could merit a green thumbs-up from Democrat Al Gore? A county board committee just unanimously OK'd the county's green building policy aimed at making the county environmentally friendly, a policy the full board is expected to approve next week. It's nice to know that in this country so sharply divided between red and blue, green can be a common denominator.

Does this make sense?

The state has signed up with a new company to do car emissions testing, and officials boast that it will save money. That's to be expected when that new contractor will close down stations and lay off employees. Now, with the South Elgin station closing, it will be more inconvenient for many Kane County residents to get to a testing facility. The solution? Drive farther -- and produce more emissions into the air -- to get to another facility. Only government could call this solution both cheaper and good for the environment with a straight face.