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11/29/2010
Parins: Take the courageous vote when it really counts
“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”
Matthew, Mark and Luke quote Jesus to this effect in their Gospels. But I am not worthy to preach soul-saving, so allow me to address the preservation of your bank savings – any you may have, that is, in the thrall of the current economic malaise.
Perhaps Christ’s words might be recast thus: “What gains a county supervisor, a city councilman/woman to approve another rich union contract only to vote against the budget subsuming this contract?” What serves his fellow man that a County Executive cut a budget and throws the knife at the feet of the many supervisors too weak to sacrifice the lamb.
What gains a supervisor to whisper Aye to the annual, inevitable wage and benefit boosts only to bellow Nay! when the subsequent budget comes to the floor? Where is the councilman/woman, the top of the county seat, when faced with the ire of an old workmate, the anger of those who paid to elect them to power, fails the purpose of an oath, only to turn that power back on those they are sworn to serve?
I’ll tell you what it has gained them - re-election! Time and time again, we have allowed our representatives to shrink from alphabet public unions, their cacophony of woes, litanies of want and need, then pose for holy pictures rejecting the resulting budget agreement. The deed completed, the rags and sackcloth are tossed in the corner behind the desk.
Quietly, our so-called fiscally conservative supers, councilors and execs have shirked confronting the most expensive and fastest growing budget line item, yet we reward them when they cast the very public NO vote on a levy hike, and shirk the weight of the tongue, the yoke and the brace.
These two-faced representatives simply must put down their fiscal foot at contract approval time or be cast shivering into the land of taxpayers in their hovels clutching their wallets as the tax collector pounds on their doors.
Let them feel what we feel!
Let them share our ritual robbery!
Let them shoulder the annual betrayal!
“The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing.” says Jean Baptiste Colbert; “No mas” says Roberto Duran.
One cannot vote FOR a budget’s greatest unchecked expense and then vote against the budget and pretend he is a conservative vox populi.
Look over at Manitowoc County. County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer – a Democrat at heart, though his party left him, so he left it – has stood up to his labor brothers and spoke truth to power: ‘You must bear your fair share of budget pain.’ His call for concessions has not won him wide vocal acclaim. But voters have returned him to county office and the Legislature. Republicans missed a great chance to appoint the fiscal-fisted conservative to the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.
Maybe the venerable Brown County Board could outsource budget prep to Manitowoc!
Meanwhile, support real conservatives who will cast the tough votes against rich union worker contracts, instead of just being a show-vote against the budget.
Richard Parins is a resident of De Pere and the President of the Brown County Taxpayers Association.
COMMENTS
So, a free-market association is not happy with collective bargaining? Aren't they the same?
Yea, I know. But the problem we have is that the "bargaining" with public labor groups is by someone on the taxpayers side who has no skin in the game. I'd suggest a formula that equates public to private wages, at a minimum, unless a binding referendum collects over 60% of public approval for more.
And yea, I know that too. We don't want to give residents a binding vote.
Jack Lohman (Mon Nov 29 08:16:17 2010)
Since Jack isn't trying to somehow link this issue to campaign finance reform (although there actually MAY be such a link) I'm on his side.
As a County Supervisor I've had to vote for wage and benefit increases for unionized county employees, not because I thought they needed them, and not because I was afraid someone would run against me, but because if we didn't ratify the 2.5% increase negotiated by the HR Committee the union would go immediately to interest arbitration and get 3.5% - this actually happened with one of our Sheriff's Dept. unions last year!
As for someone defeating me for election - bring 'em on! Why would anyone worry about losing a monthly headache for a grand sum of $175 per month and the abiding belief among the voters and taxpayers that somehow reducing the size of the County Board would save money?
Sorry, but the only way we'll get our county budgets under control without drastically cuting staff is to get rid of the opressive interest arbitration and tie public wages to the actual cost of living. If the State Legislature can cap the tax levy for all municipalities in the state, they can cap wages for public employees as well - school teachers included.
Duke (Mon Nov 29 08:56:07 2010)
Duke, if there IS a money link I would hope that you'd support public funding of campaigns. I (and most voters) are not happy when unions buy their contracts with political bribes to county or state politicians. But as well, "drastically cutting" government departments that are inefficient or unnecessary is acceptable, at least in my mind.
Jack Lohman (Mon Nov 29 09:39:07 2010)
"Be still my heart", Jack and Duke actually agree on something. I do agree with Duke, since I was a county supervisor myself for 14 years, that the mediation and arbitration laws do not favor the counties and municipalities to go to arbitration and subsequently lose. In addition, as a part of the last budget process, arbitrators can no longer take into account the local economic conditions when ruling. The arbitrators will always rule against the counties and municipalities if they have not taxed to the levy limits.
However, times are changing, and the new governor and legislature will be looking at leveling the playing field as far as negotiations and arbitration are concerned. The state will be leading the way in all areas of compensation to public employees and this will trickle down to the county and municipal negotiations.
Mike Thomas (Mon Nov 29 13:01:48 2010)
I work for a local municipality, and every time I see union bashing on this site, I always ask the same question what do you think a fair living wage is. I have yet to hear back from anyone, further more I would gladly post my wages and benefits if the union bashers do the same. Better yet post the name of your businesses you own or work for so I can stop paying your wages.
joe (Mon Nov 29 13:18:36 2010)
Joe, a fair living wage on the inside is identical to the wage on the outside, not 30% higher.
Jack Lohman (Mon Nov 29 16:39:25 2010)
Thanks Jack and Duke-you've answered the $64 bazillion dollar question-outdated, skewed, Binding Arbitration laws. The Taxpayer has no friend in that arena, so Duke and Mike are correct, the ante simply goes up to the max.
Last year I stood, mouth on the floor as the representative for my school District reports, "we gave them "X"% increase, and never lifted a finger to challenge their request. We knew we would lose..." A most telling answer in to our State debt problems. Thanks everyone.
Richard Parins (Mon Nov 29 16:50:51 2010)
Joe - I too work for a municipality, but not in a union job. The last two years our wages were frozen. As a County Supervisor (whose pay hasn't been changed in the last 20 years) trying to hold the line on union pay and benefit increases in the face of mandatory pay increases granted by an unelected arbitrator just gives me a double whammy. So don't get on your high horse about "union bashing" with me. I've seen it from both sides and, quite frankly, I don't give a rip how much you're paid, what your benefits are or what your union considers a "living wage." All we got from the unions the last couple of years was a campaign to enact a county sales tax.
In the current environment it's just not possible to have a meaningful negotiation with a municipal union. My guess is that's going to change in the next four years.
Duke (Mon Nov 29 17:25:26 2010)
As a former union steward, I think unions have to be careful of what they ask for. They might get it... and drive their jobs to other countries. Not likely in the case of municipalities... they just increase taxes. Until the taxpayers rebel, which is where we're at now.
I agree with Duke... things are going to change. Don't know how, but Walker has favored privatization (because private companies can give campaign contributions). But there you lose control, and that's not good.
Jack Lohman (Mon Nov 29 19:22:05 2010)
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