Vernon Hills followed suit with Libertyville and on April 21 decided not to vote in support of Gov. Bruce Rauner's controversial "Turnaround Agenda."
"There's an awful lot of affirmation in this document that we have absolutely no control over," Mayor Roger Byrne said during the regularly scheduled board meeting. "We're a municipality. This authority being discussed goes against the charter of our state."
Municipalities throughout Illinois are being asked to approve a pre-written resolution that pledges support for a number of Rauner's ideas.
Gov. Bruce Rauner's controversial "Turnaround Illinois Agenda" died on the floor without a single Libertyville trustee willing to recommend approval during an April 14 meeting. ( Rick Kambic )
The proposal advocates for a change to state law allowing municipalities to decide whether or not people should have to join a union as a condition of employment, a practice known as "right to work."
Among several other items, the resolution also pledges support for reforming workers' compensation laws and removing the state requirements for government construction contracting, also known as "prevailing wage."
Village documents indicate Rauner's administration wanted an unmodified resolution approved and sent to Springfield by April 23.
"There's a crisis in Springfield. We can't ignore that," Byrne continued. "This isn't the way to fix it."
Just as in Libertyville last week none of the six Vernon Hills trustees motioned to approve Rauner's proclamation.
"The whole concept of the right-to-work zones is not going to fly. It's an incredibly ill-thought-out concept that the attorney general already said doesn't cut it," Trustee Thom Koch said. "Putting aside whether it's right or wrong, this is a matter to be discussed downstate — not in our chambers."
Although Rauner's proposal was dismissed, Byrne still encouraged discussion.
"You all came here and sat through our regular business, so you might as well speak your piece," Byrne told a group of 42 union engineers, electricians, firefighters and teachers. Nine people took the opportunity.
Among them was at least one Rauner supporter. Lisa Fugina said union teachers in many of the local school districts spend the minimum required amount of time in their classrooms.
"I pay extremely high taxes in Lincolnshire so that my kids can go to good schools, but I don't think they are getting the quality education they deserve," Fugina said. "I'm tired of study halls once a day for kids who aren't even in high school. I'm sorry, homework should be done at home."
Fugina said her job in the medical manufacturing industry is non-union and she doesn't think it's so bad.
"I'm a working mom for 30 plus years at organizations that are considered right-to-work. I get objectives every year and ratings by supervisors," Fugina said. "My raise is not based on a law that gets passed, but instead on how well I performed my job that past year."
The rest of the speakers opposed Rauner's proposal.
Thomas J. Lauman Jr. of Mundelein said his daughters go to Vernon Hills High School and he fears for their future. Lauman is a member of International Union Of Operating Engineers Local 150.
"I'd like to see everyone make an honest living. That's all I make. I don't even eclipse six figures, unlike the governor's wife in her new role as first lady," Lauman said. "I just want to help my kids get through college. If right to work passes, my income will go back to the Stone Age and I'll be struggling to support just myself."
Byrne responded with laughter.
"Yeah, I don't think any of you guys take home $53 million a year," Byrne said. "I don't blame you for being defensive."
Another speaker, Rick Rottman of Gurnee, told trustees he is a business manager for the Libertyville-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 150.
He praised Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik for ignoring Rauner's proposal, but he said Vernon Hills is the real winner.
"Gurnee Mills was built by a bunch of fly-by-night guys who jumped across the Wisconsin border. Everything at Hawthorn Mall except two small stores was built by us, and we were paid a living wage that gave us some spending power," Rottman said. "I have always encouraged our membership to shop Hawthorn because one hand feeds the other."….
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