Join Rauner's fight against unions

CRAIG HOLLISTER had this letter in the August 14 Dispatch/Argus and August 18 Quad-City Times. ..... marks paragraph breaks. "The state of Illinois is currently engaged in contentious contract negotiations with its employee unions. Reports indicate that the unions are demanding substantial increases in wages and benefits. The state is already headed toward bankruptcy. Gov. Bruce Rauner is wisely refusing the union's extravagant demands. Negotiations are at an understandable stalemate and a disruptive state employee strike looks possible. ..... Our state legislature has proposed legislation banning strikes and lockouts and requiring binding arbitration by a supposedly neutral mediator. This mediator would not be responsible for actually paying for this settlement. ..... Guess who would actually pay for any increased salary and benefits given to state workers? The taxpayers of the state of Illinois! Of course any increase in salary would add to the pension fund debt of Illinois, a pension fund debt that has destroyed the Illinois credit rating. Because all state employee wages and benefits are paid by the taxpayers, the taxpayers should be represented at the bargaining table. .... Gov. Rauner has other items on his Turnaround Agenda that are worthy of support. Illinois cannot continue to have higher labor costs than almost every other state in America, including all of our neighboring states. ..... > Repeal prevailing wage which adds to the cost of every government project. Port Byron Township rejected the Prevailing Wage Ordinance. ..... > Pass Right to Work legislation. ..... > Streamline Illinois government. > And stop digging the Illinois financial hole deeper. ..... Support Bruce Rauner in his efforts to make Illinois great again."