Where Are Our Tax Dollars Going?

# Where Are Our Tax Dollars Going?

I'm still frustrated about the City of Herrin eliminating late notices for water bills.

Yes, paying my water bill is ultimately my responsibility. But when the city removes reminders, residents can go from simply missing a payment to having their water shut off—and then being forced to pay a **$50 reconnect fee** just to get their water turned back on.

To me, that's not good customer service. It feels like a system designed to generate additional revenue from the people who live here.

At the same time, the City of Herrin's employee salaries are public record. Anyone can review them. Looking through those records, you'll find that many city employees earn substantial salaries, with some making well into six figures.

You can view the public salary records here:

https://govsalaries.com/salaries/IL/city-of-herrin

I'm not saying city employees shouldn't be paid fairly. They deserve to be compensated for the work they do.

What I am asking is this:

If the city can afford six-figure salaries and annual raises, why can't it afford to send residents a simple late notice before shutting off their water?

Why is it acceptable for families to lose an essential service over a missed payment when a reminder could have prevented the situation altogether?

This isn't about attacking any individual employee. It's about the priorities of our local government and how taxpayer money is being used.

Herrin residents deserve transparency, accountability, and a city government that puts customer service ahead of collecting reconnect fees.

What do you think? Are the city's priorities in the right place, or should they bring back late notices before charging residents another $50?