NEW PROGRAMS!
Independent
TAKE ONE
Bensenville
Dance & Tumbling Fine Arts Tot & Preschool Fitness & Athletic
Registration is now underw ay!
Deer Grove Leisure Center 1000 W. Wood St. | 630-76 6-7015 bensenvilleparkdistrict.org
also serving Wood Dale
VOL. 13 • NO. 30
Visit our website for detai ls about our Water Park Pa ss Sale and Special Events
WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM
265202
FREE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016
Rauner says AFSCME appeal costing state $3 million daily
By Illinois News Network and workplace safety.” Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chi- contract status to be part of the bud- for pension reform. Unless an agreement is reached, What should be a resolved labor Meanwhile, to make things mud- cago, have made the ongoing dispute get discussion, and Cullerton wants dispute between the state and its larg- dier, both Senate President John an issue in finding resolutions to the continued negotiations with the the state will be without a spending est public employee union is instead Cullerton, D-Chicago, and House budget impasse. Madigan wants the union as a way to find union support plan after Dec. 31. costing taxpayers an additional $3 million each day, Gov. Bruce Rauner said. AFSCME has been without a contract since July 2015. Although the state labor board ruled over a month ago that the two sides were officially at an impasse and Gov. Rauner can enact his “last, best, and final” offer, the union continues to challenge that ruling. Rauner said last week that there’s a daily cost from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union’s appeal to a higher court of the state labor board’s ruling that the talks had reached an impasse. “Every day that we delay through these court actions costs the people of Illinois almost $3 million per day,” Rauner said. “Think of how much we could do for our children in poverty, think of how much we could do for our schools and our human services if we weren’t wasting almost $3 million a day on this contract.” The state’s projected deficit in the current fiscal year is over $5 billion, and the backlog of unpaid bills sitting on the state comptroller’s desk totals more than $10.5 billion. Rauner said AFSCME is delaying implementation of common-sense terms to which 18 other unions already have agreed. “It has merit pay for good performance, so our state employees can actually make more money,” COURTESY PHOTO Bensenville Independent Rauner said. “It puts in a 40-hour workweek, a novel idea in state government. Taxpayers work a 40-hour week. State employees should work The Patrol Leaders of Scout Troop 14 gather around the donations gathered for the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots effort. Pictured are (front a 40-hour week,” Rauner said. “We row, from left): Brendan Carey, Carl Knable, Eric Moskal, Luke Montgomery, Sean Mayfield; (back row): Assistant Senior Patrol Leader should also get to go forward with Justin Mondschean and Senior Patrol Leader Ronan Doyle. our task forces for workplace health
Scout Troop collects for Toys for Tots
Inside:
Police Reports......5, 6 Sports �������������������� 14 Travel................10-13 Classifieds..........18-19
A
UTO DVANTAGE
TRUST YOUR CAR TO DOMINICK & HIS TEAM OF PROS Synthetic Blend
CAR CARE CENTER
630-543-1397 Mon.-Fri. 8-6 • Sat. 8-3
19.95
$
WOW!
Services We Provide:
Across From Dapper’s Restaurant
(1-1/2 mile East of Route 53)
Includes Lube and New Filter nly wO No
Most passenger vehicles. Up to 5 quarts SW30 premium motor oil, lube and new filter.
HERE TO SAVE YOU MONEY!
Addison • 885 W. Lake St.
Oil Change Special
• Brakes • Exhaust
• Front End Work • Radiator • CV Axles • Tires and much much more
24 HOUR TOWING
• Alternators • Convertors 230369
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID ROCK VALLEY PUBLISHING LLC