Walker wants state a well-run busines

Finally, Gov. Quinn is ordering furlough days for his staff, but he should also rescind the raises he gave them. There is no reason for public employees to be getting raises while the rest of us are facing pay cuts and layoffs.

I want to thank Mark Walker, my state representative, for understanding this. Last spring, Mark voted against his own pay raise and cut lawmakers' reimbursements. He also voted to require legislators to take 12 unpaid work days per year.

We all say the state should be run like a business, and that's what Mark's doing. Mark is a businessman, so when he first took office last year he knew that he had to stretch every dollar in his local office and was able to return over 12 percent of his budget.

Mark Walker understands that tax dollars belong to the people, not the politicians. Thanks, Mark, for bringing business sense to Springfield.

Beth Pikelny

Rolling Meadows