Another voice to keep Navistar here

Encouraged by an excellent editorial written by John Schmitt, president of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, I wanted to contribute to the Navistar discussion by lending my unabridged support in keeping them as a part of our regional community.

As an early participant in the discussions surrounding the proposed consolidation of various area Navistar facilities, I find the recent possibility that the company could walk away from Illinois a frightening proposition. With over a thousand current jobs and thousands more at stake, this is more than just a debate over the rights and limitations upon a business, this debate is over the livelihood and well being of thousands of area families.

While I can appreciate the concerns of those few families and schools in the immediate area surrounding the proposed facility expansion, Navistar is a stable anchor within our area that provides thousands of good paying jobs and tax revenue for our local communities. As a whole, they are a valued member of our community and are looking to expand the size of their operation here in the area.

I don't need to repeat the employment and labor statists of Illinois' dismal economy, as most families are living it everyday. It also goes without saying that other states are providing more economic incentives than ever in trying to lure employers like Navistar away from our area.

So as an area representative, I would like to say is that I am going to provide whatever assistance I can in the fight to keep all of our large-scale employers in our area, including Navistar. This is too important not to fight for.

Darlene Senger

Naperville

State representative, 96th District