[Comments have now been opened.]

* First Jim Edgar, and now the governor’s very own hand-picked comptroller…

Gov. Bruce Rauner should give up his attacks on unions to help agree on a budget with Democratic lawmakers and end the spiraling crisis in Springfield, Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger said Friday. […]

Asked if Gov. Rauner should stop targeting unions during a news conference in Moline Friday, Ms. Munger, said, “I don’t think it’s productive, I think we’ve got to work together, personally.

“I don’t think it helps to pit people against one another, to be completely honest,” she said. “I believe we need to be all working together to solve the problems in Illinois.” […]

She said the solution to the crisis was to cut spending and raise revenue. Both sides need to compromise, although there’s no sign of that happening at the moment, Ms. Munger said.

Although Ms. Munger said Gov. Rauner should stop attacking unions, she voiced support for the governor’s proposed reforms to tort laws and workers compensation. The goal in both areas is to reduce costs for businesses, she said.

* And speaking of Jim Edgar, Bernie caught up with him late yesterday…

The lack of a budget four months into the fiscal year has destabilized state government, and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner should quit holding a state spending plan hostage to a list of demands because permanent damage is being done, former Gov. Jim Edgar said Friday.

“State government’s probably in the worst state it’s been in the 47 years that I’ve been around (it),” Edgar, a fellow Republican, told The State Journal-Register in an interview from his Springfield home. “You’ve got dozens and dozens of programs that aren’t being funded, agencies that are having trouble doing their mission, and I just think it’s very unfortunate.”

“We need a budget,” he added. “These other issues, they’re important, some of them I think more important than others, but you don’t hold the budget hostage to get those. … It has been very destabilizing for state government. I think a lot of people have suffered.” […]

“An unstable state government — and that’s what we have right now, very unstable — is a detriment to economic growth,” he said. “I mean, folks aren’t going to come to this state and make an investment if they think state government’s dysfunctional.” […]

“One of the strengths this state’s had for years is … a great higher education system,” he said. “I think that is in jeopardy now.”

There’s lots more, so go read the whole thing.