Comptroller, Attorney General Say No To Rauner's 'Fair Share' Executive Order
By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 13, 2015 6:30PM
Leslie Munger, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s appointee as Illinois Comptroller, has refused to enact Rauner’s recent executive order absolving non-union state employees from paying “fair share” union payments, a move that has the support of Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
We’re guessing this isn’t the bipartisan cooperation Rauner envisioned when he took office.
Rauner claims paying fair share fees is a violation of the First Amendment since non-union workers are supporting a political position they don’t agree with in doing so. Madigan spokeswoman Natalie Bauer said fair share payments are constitutional, while Munger’s office said the comptroller will not follow the order unless under court order.
Public sector unions Rauner has been poking with a stick since his inauguration responded in support of the move. Illinois Federation of Teachers president Dan Montgomery said:
“As we said earlier this week, the Governor’s actions were a blatantly illegal abuse of his power, so we’re glad to see a bipartisan confirmation that the constitution still matters. A democracy does not allow one man to implement his ideological will as he chooses, and so Comptroller Munger and Attorney General Madigan rightfully put the law over politics. As he considers his upcoming budget plan, the Governor would be wise to do the same. Our state has serious financial challenges, and Governor Rauner’s out-of-touch, partisan attacks on middle class families and the unions who give them a collective voice isn’t the way to solve them. Let’s hope we can start working together in earnest next week.”