City Council: April 2009 Archives

On Tuesday night the Naperville City Council approved a budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Councilmen Bob Fieseler, Richard Furstenau and Grant Wehrli voted against the plan because it includes salary increases for city employees.

City employees are slated to receive merit increases of 1.5 percent. Last month the council reduced the amount from the previously recommended 2.25 percent, saving the city $637,447 on employee raises.

Previously, the city laid off 20 employees and eliminated 23 vacant positions, saving $3.2 million. Other major areas of cost-savings are $1.8 million in the vehicle replacement fund and $1.1 million in reduction of overtime. In addition every department had to cut costs. These cuts were meant to alleviate an $11 million deficit.

With all this in mind, do you think city employees should be getting raises?

At its Wednesday night meeting, the Naperville City Council approved a one-year trial period for Joe Hornbaker to operate a hot dog cart downtown.

Hornbaker said he is willing to pay his fair share for operating a downtown business, including the food and beverage tax, and the downtown special service area tax. But the Downtown Naperville Alliance is concerned that Hornbaker will take away business from other venues and won't pay his fair share.

Do you think the hot dog cart has an unfair advantage? Do you think such a business is a valuable addition to the downtown?