Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

 

A Circuit Court judge has issued an Agreed Order requiring state agencies to immediately reinstate the transmission of ‘fair share’ fees deducted from employee paychecks.

On March 5, the Illinois AFL-CIO and 26 unions representing more than 40,000 Illinois state employees filed suit in St. Clair County Circuit Court to invalidate an executive order issued by Governor Bruce Rauner that bars state agencies from collecting the fees, which are authorized under state law and multiple collective bargaining agreements. The fees cover the proportional cost to the union of providing representation to those employees.

The court order, issued by Associate Judge Christopher Kolker, is based on an agreement reached between the Rauner Administration and the affected labor unions. It requires the Administration to “remit fair share fees…pending the resolution of the case” and to transmit “the correct payroll information” regarding gross pay for affected employees to the Comptroller.

“We continue to believe that the governor’s executive order is meant to weaken the right of state employees to have effective union representation,” said Illinois AFL-CIO president Michael T. Carrigan. “We’re pleased that all fair share agreements will now be honored while our legal challenge is proceeding.”

Some of you old timers might remember Judge Kolker from his House staff days.

Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Rauner's $100 million in corporate tax breaks drawing fire | Chicago

 

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s decision to approve $100 million in corporate tax breaks is drawing fire from critics after the Republican six days ago yanked funding for a series of social programs, including funerals for the indigent, immigration, autism and HIV services.

His administration says the business incentives — for companies such as eBay, CapitalOne, CDW and SAC Wireless — were promised under Gov. Pat Quinn and will not affect this year’s budget.

“These commitments were made by the Quinn administration and were allowed to continue because they have no impact on the current Fiscal Year,”  spokeswoman Lyndsey Walters said in an emailed statement.

Quinn’s administration had already committed to giving out those tax incentives, but paperwork was still being processed, Rauner’s office said. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity reviewed the incentives and signed off on releasing the money.

News of the corporate tax breaks spurred a petition on Move.org.

“Giving tax breaks to big corporations while slashing millions from the services our most vulnerable citizens rely upon is beyond the pale,”  said Aviva Bowen, spokeswoman for Illinois Federation of Teachers. “Cutting funding for autism, homelessness, parks, and after-school programs before asking the most wealthy to chip in a dime is completely out of touch with what Illinois wants or deserves.”

On Friday, Rauner announced $26 million in immediate cuts to social services, including $7 million for funerals and burials for public aid recipients, funds for immigrant services, autism services and other programs.

Rauner's $100 million in corporate tax breaks drawing fire | Chicago