Governor Rauner says he’s not anti-union. In Ottawa Monday, Rauner said that’s the spin from the other side. He denied being in favor of so-called “right to work” status.

Gov. Rauner also called on people who want schools to open in the fall to put pressure right back on the legislature to pass a school funding bill and partial state budget that would be good for six months.

Many Democrats say it’s Governor Rauner’s job to present a balanced budget. They say he shouldn’t just expect the legislature to pass one.

In Ottawa Monday, the governor says he’s tried.

The event with Rauner was supposed to be at City Hall. But the large crowd of protesters prompted him to move it to the downtown courthouse. Rauner says he respects protesters, but he wanted to have an uninterrupted conversation about the state’s troubles.