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County OKs ‘win-win’ deal with nurses Negotiations for Valley Hi union contract went smoothly By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com
Photos by Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
Drug Court graduate Ronnie Bianchi (left) receives a hug from Circuit Judge Charles P. Weech on Tuesday during the 22nd Judicial Circuit Adult Drug Court commencement ceremony at the McHenry County Courthouse in Woodstock. To date, 16 individuals have successfully completed the program involving comprehensive drug treatment, close supervision and full accountability.
Victory of sobriety Six graduate from county’s Drug Court program WOODSTOCK – The last time Ronnie Bianchi’s name occupied this space, it was after police surrounded his Wonder Lake home as part of an early morning drug raid. Authorities led Bianchi off in handcuffs, and charged him with felony possession of a controlled substance. This time Bianchi’s name makes it on the front page, it’s because he was celebrating a victory over drug addiction. Bianchi, who is not related to the McHenry County state’s
attorney, was one of six men who graduated Tuesday from the county’s Drug Court program. Together, the six, all recovering heroin addicts, marked 2,102 days of sobriety. Had they been typically prosecuted, they were facing 13 years in prison – at a minimum. They were instead recommended for Drug Court as an alternative to traditional prosecution. Participation in the drug court program means drug treatment, frequently checking in with program officials,
See DRUG COURT, page A6
Drug Court graduate Edward Marrs (left) is congratulated by Weech on Tuesday during the Drug Court commencement ceremony at the McHenry County Courthouse in Woodstock. This is the third Drug Court graduation ceremony since it was convened in December 2011.
Watchdog group opposes Quinn’s proposed budget Organization wants governor to address state’s multibillion-dollar bill backlog The ASSOCIATED PRESS CHICAGO – A watchdog group said Tuesday it opposes Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget because it would use an income tax hike to give homeowners a property tax refund – new spending the group says should be used instead to significantly pay down Illinois’ multibillion-dollar bill backlog. The report by the Civic Federation comes as legisla-
tors face tough votes in coming weeks on the state’s 2015 spending plan. Quinn’s $38.1 billion proposal would extend the temporary income tax increase lawmakers approved in 2011. That tax hike was set to be rolled back – from 5 percent to 3.75 percent for individuals – in January, leading to a drop in revenue of about $1.6 billion. Quinn, a Chicago Democrat, has said extending the tax hike is necessary to avoid
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severe cuts to areas such as education. The Civic Federation, an influential Chicago-based policy analysis organization, has said the tax should be extended for one year then scaled back over the next three years. But the group opposes a new $500-per-homeowner property tax refund that Quinn is proposing to replace the current property tax credit. The refund would cost the
state about $715 million more than the credit, according to the organization’s analysis. They say that money should go toward Illinois’ roughly $5 billion backlog of overdue bills. “The governor’s plan appropriately recognizes that the state’s finances cannot withstand a dramatic reduction in revenues next year,” said Civic Federation President Laurence Msall. “However, new spending initiatives are just
Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
58 44 Complete forecast on A8
CRYSTAL LAKE: Prairie Ridge earns share of FVC Valley title with 6-2 win over Crystal Lake South. Sports, C1
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2.75 percent raise for nurses for the current fiscal year
$16,000 expected savings for the County Board from reduction of the shift differential
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is expected to sign off on it Wednesday. It will likely go to the full County Board for formal ratification at its May 20 meeting. Under the contract, nurses will get a 2.5 percent raise retroactive to fiscal 2013, and a 2.75 percent raise for the current 2014 fiscal year. The raise for 2015 will be either 2.5 percent or the raise given to the county’s nonunion employees, whichever is greater. The raise scale is identical to that of the contract with the nursing home’s
See NURSES, page A6
“The governor’s plan appropriately recognizes that the state’s finances cannot withstand a dramatic reduction in revenues next year. However, new spending initiatives are just as contradictory to the state’s fiscal reality – especially those financed by borrowing.” Laurence Msall President of Civic Federation, on Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget proposal
MAN AGAIN FACES ARSON CHARGES
Prairie Ridge’s Cassie Warton (left)
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See BUDGET, page A6
raise for nurses retroactive to fiscal 2013 under the new contract
WOODSTOCK Attorneys from both sides painted a different picture of 24-year-old Joseph O. Ziegler, who is accused of starting a fire that destroyed two cars and a Pistakee Highlands home. A jury deadlocked on several arson charges during Ziegler’s first trial in the case. For more, see page B1.
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as contradictory to the state’s fiscal reality – especially those financed by borrowing.” Quinn’s plan calls for borrowing about $650 million from other state funds to close a gap in the operating budget and to put $480 million toward the overdue bills. That money would be paid back over two years. Quinn spokesman Abdon Pallasch said the governor
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By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
WOODSTOCK – The McHenry County Board is in the process of ratifying a first contract with newly-unionized staff, breaking a streak of negotiations that have required arbitration. Its contract with the 23 nurses at Valley Hi Nursing Home was the first in years that did not reach an impasse that needed to be broken by an arbitrator. State law allows unions with fewer than 35 members to go to arbitration for its first contract – arbitration exists to settle contract disputes with employees who are forbidden by law from striking, such as police officers. The main reason the nurses’ contract went so smoothly is that a lot of the language was hashed out when Valley Hi’s support staff unionized, county Human Resources Director Robert Ivetic said. Both units are represented by Service Employees International Union Local 73. “A lot of what we would consider boilerplate was done already. We didn’t have to go over all of that,” Ivetic said. The County Board’s Human Resources and Finance and Audit committees voted Tuesday to recommend approval of the contract, and the Public Health and Human Services Committee
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