At all.
Madison and St. Clair counties are immediately northeast and southeast of St. Louis, MO.
The town of East St. Louis in St. Clair county has the highest murder rate in the U.S., at around 19 times the national average.
From the legal journal The Madison-St. Clair Record:
How to plug big-time shortfalls in police and fire pension funds? Some cities are selling sewer systems for big bucks
In 2018, Alton’s pension funds for firefighters and police officers had about $117 million in unfunded liabilities -- the retirement money that will have to be paid to retirees.....MUCH MORE
But in June, the city cut that shortfall nearly in half. How? They sold the city’s sewer system to a company, Illinois American Water, for $53.8 million.
Godfrey also sold its wastewater system to Illinois American, for $13.5 million.
And now Granite City, which has $83 million in unfunded liabilities in its police and firefighter pension funds, is looking to sell part of its wastewater system.
But Kent Redfield, an expert in Illinois politics and government, warned that selling off city assets could be a bad move, particularly if the sale provides only a quick, bandage repair to a long-term pension problem. He said once a city sells its sewer system, there’s little chance the city will ever own it again.
“You can only sell your car once to make your house payment,” Redfield said. “Is it a long-term fix, or is it a temporary Band-Aid that kicks the can down the road?”
Granite City Alderman Gerald Williams, chairman of the City Council’s Wastewater Treatment Committee, said firefighters already have asked that a portion of any sale proceeds go toward their retirement fund. Williams said he didn’t know if police had made the same request, but he’s guessing they did.
“They probably have,” Williams said. “When money comes available, everybody wants it.”...
