GENEVA - In Part 1 of Illinois Review's interview with Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay, she retold how a property rights dispute got her involved in local politics. In Part 2, McConnaughay, now running for State Senate, discussed some of the challenges she faces in dealing with urban, suburban and rural regions of Kane County, one of the nation's fastest growing counties. In Part 3, she discusses current disputes with public sector union members, and how difficult it is to meet union demands with shrinking revenue.
This week, a labor arbitrator ruled that Governor Pat Quinn could not delay wage increases and force furlough days on union employees. It is important to note, Chairman McConnaughay said, that state labor arbitrators are from a list approved by the governor, who's election he owes to the generosity of state employee labor unions. Since Quinn's re-election, McConnaughay said, arbitrators have sided more and more with unions, hoisting heavier and heavier demands on local and county governments to pay more and more, despite lowering property assessments and shrinking tax revenue.
Part 3 of Illinois Review's recent interview is a 6 minute segment:
