The town of Springsburg, Wisconsin gave a big job to one of its littlest citizens in last November’s elections, choosing 10-year-old Nathan Brooks as its mayor.
Brooks, a fifth-grader, may be young but he’s wasted no time proving he means business. On January 31, shortly after taking office, he fired all of the town’s union sanitation workers.
“This community stands at the brink of fiscal ruin thanks to unsustainable pension commitments,” the peppy Nathan said from behind his tiny lectern at his first press conference. “If Springsburg’s sanitation workers really want to take out the trash, they should start with their outdated, irresponsible union contract.”
Nice job, sport! Maybe if all politicians wrote their speeches in crayon, they’d be as colorful as Nathan’s.
As you might imagine, Nathan’s parents are proud as peacocks about their pint-sized, precocious politician. Take it from his dad, former Springsburg sanitation worker Robert Brooks: “This is a nightmare,” he says. “I have no idea how I’m going to make a living now.” Awwww. We’re sure Nathan will give you an allowance out of his mayoral salary, pops!
It’s hard for anyone’s heart not to melt watching Nathan supervise replacement sanitation workers’ pickup of garbage bags lining Main Street, eating a large ice cream sundae and smiling as if he doesn’t hear the booming chants of “Scab!” from his fellow Springsburgers. Kids are so resilient.
Nathan hasn’t taken a hard line on all labor issues – so far, he’s tolerated the ongoing teachers’ strike that has kept elementary school students out of class for months.