LAW ALLOWS MAYOR TO ALSO SERVE AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Senate Bill 825 allows Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who also is a State Representative, to serve in both capacities. Photo by Tia Carol Jones
Senate Bill 825 allows Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who also is a State Representative, to serve in both capacities. Photo by Tia Carol Jones

 Law allows Mayor to also serve as State Representative

BY TIA CAROL JONES
     Legislation in the Illinois General Assembly has made it legal for sitting lawmakers to run for local electedoffice. Illinois Senate Bill 825 allows Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who also is an Illinois State Representative for the 29th District, to serve in
both roles.
     During the election, Calumet City passed a referendum to prevent state elected officials from running for mayor. It would’ve directly affected Jones in his run for Mayor of Calumet City, by
requiring him to resign from the General Assembly before he could Mayor. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in his favor and he was allowed to run for local office. The finding was due to the fact that the referendum from Calumet City had been certified after Jones filed his nomination for Mayor.
     “Senate Bill clears a path for me to serve in both capacities because the Legislature has deemed any referendum brought by Calumet City’s previous administration as not forceable,” Jones said in an emailed statement. “Ironically, the now former
Corporation Counsel (Burt Odelson) for Calumet City, also represents State Representative Kelly Burke, who also serves as Mayor of Evergreen Park.”
   Jones added, the issue of someone serving as Mayor and in the Illinois Legislature is not new. He said late State Senator William Shaw served as Mayor of Dolton, and late Senator Louis Vierito served as Stickney Township Supervisor. He also noted, there
are seven other examples in the state of Illinois.
   Jones has represented District 29 in the Illinois General Assembly since 2010. The district includes Calumet City, Dolton, Burnham, Ford Heights, Lansing, Lynwood, Thornton, SouthHolland, and parts of Harvey and the 9th Ward of Chicago.
Senate Bill 825 also postponed the date of the primary election and expanded mail-in voting.
    Jones said he is ready to make positive changes in Calumet City. “Calumet City had long been associated with dry old stubborn politics, lack of transparency, a crumbling infrastructure
and an evading economic base. Our taxes were high all while our
services continued to decline. We are now building a stronger Calumet City that will offer an all-inclusive approach to governing and a rebuilding of community trust between the local government and its residents,” he said. Jones added the legislation is a move
toward the end of racial inequality in Calumet City.
    “The new Calumet City has already begun creating a more diverse environment which include people from all walks of life representing their government in key roles,” he said. “I
am grateful, honored and blessed to be in this prime position to usher in a paradigm shift as it relates to how our beloved Calumet City is to be perceived. We have an opportunity to change how economic development is created by offering non-traditional
plans that coincide with consumer buying trends.”

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