Reply With QuoteExactly, that is basically what I wrote in my blog piece earlier today.
In typical fashion, Eliot Spitzer declined to comment or state his position on anything that could be construed as pro taxpayer and anti-union.
Do we really want Spitzer? He won't answer questions about these issues because he probally wants the support of the unions. Would you bite the hand that pays you?
Legislators OK $1 billion in union benefits
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In election year, public-service workers win passage of costly negotiation, job and retirement gains
By TOM PRECIOUS
News Albany Bureau
7/2/2006
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ALBANY - Organized labor in New York will remember June 2006 as the month they ruled the State Capitol.
Unions long have enjoyed great friends in the State Legislature. But nothing can compare to the victories they won during the final weeks of this year's session, according to government officials, lobbyists and representatives of school boards and local governments.
The election-bound state legislators unleashed more than $1 billion worth of benefits to unions, which provide the most reliable source of cash and field-operation assistance during political campaigns.
In addition, the unions were handed broad, new powers to use in contract talks with local governments and school districts across the state. These advantages will end up costing local taxpayers for years to come, the school and government experts say.
"It really is a breathtaking list of union giveaways, with zero action to reduce taxpayer costs," Robert Ward of the Business Council of New York said of the more than 100 union-backed bills that passed both the Senate and Assembly.
The bills may be perfect timing for Gov. George E. Pataki. After cozy relations with labor, Pataki now has a chance to look tough on unions - as he burnishes his conservative credentials for a national audience - by vetoing some bills. Aides said he was still studying the newly passed legislation.
Most of this legislation benefits public service unions, and several measures were seen as weapons for negotiations and union organizing.
One bill forces into effect the last wage offer a union makes - presumably more generous to workers - if a government employer negotiates in bad faith. Critics say that legislation will only encourage protracted contract talks.
Another measure gives every worker in a union a 1 percent raise if, during contract talks, the government employer refuses to talk in good faith. No such penalty exists for the unions. The immediate costs to taxpayers total $300 million, according to fiscal notes, memos and interviews with lawmakers, staff members and lobbyists. Much of that is just the first-year costs. And that number does not include dozens of bills for which lawmakers assigned no costs or the added union protections to the state's Taylor Law that carry potentially huge costs for governments down the road.
The numbers grow. Add in what even state officials say is the true, long-term cost of one bill - boosting pay for certain workers at not-for-profit agencies - and the price tag leaps to $1.1 billion.
Action follows aid hikes
Add in three other bills covering contract and binding-arbitration deals, and the total for the union-backed measures approved in June comes in at more than $1.7 billion.
All this occurs in a year when the state gave record aid increases to try to help lower local property taxes.
"However, all that was done in the last two weeks having to do with labor and union benefits is going to offset the increase in state aid," said Peter Baynes, executive director of the New York Conference of Mayors.
Unions did well on defense, too, blocking measures that would have reduced workers' compensation costs and relaxed the Wicks Law, which mandates union participation on public works projects.
Many of the bills were first introduced in the Senate, where Republicans are working hard to hold onto their majority this fall. Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, did not return calls for comment last week.
In the Assembly, Republicans say Democrats also had in mind trying to be helpful to the gubernatorial election effort of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, a strong labor ally.
But helping Spitzer was not a consideration for his votes, said Assembly Majority Leader Paul Tokasz, D-Cheektowaga. He said most of the bills passed the Senate first and were forwarded to the Assembly, where they received bipartisan support.
"Now the governor has his opportunity, constitutionally, to weigh in on these issues," Tokasz said.
Spitzer, endorsed by the AFL-CIO last week, declined to say whether he would veto any of the more than 100 measures if he were governor. Pressed on the issue, the only bill he criticized was one to permit more than 50,000 day care workers at private agencies to join state worker unions.
Union officials say measures protecting union jobs, wages and retirement incomes were years in the making and often address work-force inequities. But Denis Hughes, president of the AFL-CIO, acknowledged one other reason they all passed this year.
"A lot of it is the result of an election year, and in both houses people want support," he said.
Yet Hughes was hesitant to declare victory. "Let's see what the governor signs," Hughes said.
Wide range of benefits
Unions have long enjoyed alliances in the New York Legislature. Half of the 10 most generous political action committees are unions, according to the New York Public Interest Research Group. On top of money, they run phone banks and literature drops, and employ thousands of foot soldiers at election time to help favored candidates.
The measures passed in June ran the gamut. One bill, costing $25 million, allows some union members to get health coverage through Healthy NY, a program for low-income families.
Pension sweeteners were given to the State Police and fire retirement system, while another union's members would get refunds for money they paid into their pensions.
Another new measure provides workers with retirement credits while out on child-care leave or, in the case of some carpenters, when they were laid off 15 years ago. Binding arbitration was expanded for some workers in the parole and court systems, and some teachers were given new retirement deals.
Local governments will be banned from contracting with private firms to provide fire protection. Another lets investigators in Spitzer's office retire after 25 years at half pay. Others give new pension benefits for 911 operators, state university workers and tax department peace officers.
One of the last bills approved was the Quality Care Act, which provides $25 million to help not-for-profit agencies that care for disabled people raise worker salaries to reduce high turnover. Critics say it is a union-organizing tool for the Civil Service Employees Association.
Cost likely to balloon
The bill pushes for a salary hike for the not-for-profit workers - now at about $20,000 a year - to the level of direct care workers employed by the state, which is about $30,000 annually. That will require as much as $800 million, state officials said, far beyond the $25 million provided in the legislation.
Why would the CSEA care about an industry whose workers are not part of the union?
The union cares about patient care, responded Danny Donohue, president of the CSEA. "And we believe those workers deserve a voice in their operations," he added. "We believe those workers deserve better, and as a union, no question, we're going out there to organize them as well."
e-mail: tprecious@buffnews.com
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Exactly, that is basically what I wrote in my blog piece earlier today.
In typical fashion, Eliot Spitzer declined to comment or state his position on anything that could be construed as pro taxpayer and anti-union.
The path is clear
Though no eyes can see
The course laid down long before.
And so with gods and men
The sheep remain inside their pen,
Though many times they've seen the way to leave.
Him not saying a peep speaks volumes...
This should help Tom S. in the polls.
I bet he would comment on this.
Can we start stories the way the press does?
"Eliot Spitzer might start dropping in polls because he won't answer questions that truely effect the tax payer"
"Eliot Spitzer true colors shine threw by ignoring questions which effect the NYS tax payer.." Or what's left of them.
IF he can't answer tough questions he's not tough enough to be the governor of NYS.
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Spitzer is going to RUIN NY State. He'll punish business so bad, everyone will flee, and rightfully so.
The Golden Fox is on his way into NY, and when he does, you'll see all the Hens (Small Business) flee ... and I hope they do.
There are 49 other states including the US Virgin Islands... plenty of nicer places to live, friendlier people, less B/S and way more options, and far fewer Old people and poor lazy bastards who spongue off the system that LETS them.
I urge all young people to get the hell out now while you can with atleast some dignity.
There seems to be a huge groundswell of support for Spitzer. Why? The guy hasn't made one specific proposal that has any details in it. He has basically said nothing. Sounds just like the Byron Brown campaign and so far we have seen nothing out of that regime.
THe Devil has many disguises!
One of them is a man named Eliot Spitzer.
Spitzer cares NOTHING about you, or about your business, or about you rights, or about your feelings. He is a cold and calculating manipulator that has helped create laws that will one day trap and punish you all. Hi sole goal is his person quest to shape the State as HE sees fit. He will be relentless and improson all who disobey him. And since NY is predominanly followers (I mean Democrats), then you are about to see the begining of the End of NY. Yippee!!!
Or the producers have to get 100% behind Tom Suozzi... But are there enough of us left to acutally pull it off.
They have amassed an army of civil servants who will do anything to keep thier status quo going even to the point of having your grand children paying for it. Guess what?! You even get to pay them while they work on keeping the status quo healthy and alive.
http://www.tomsuozzi.com/
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I have written Souzzi with no response from his office at all.
I believe now that Souzzi is just a ploy for the appearance of offering the public a choice. A choice that can not or does not want to win the primary.
Republicans can not win and Souzzi won't win.
All too bad for the public and give me a break if you think Spitzer will lower taxes. He will have to pay off his union cronies somehow.
Originally Posted by Batman
We don't know if there's a groundswell of support. As far as we know it can be all hearsay. Wouldn't you exagerate information to make others think no one else has a chance.
Why should Eliot be governor? Other than some fancy commercials, why?
Tom Suozzi actually helped turn around a county that has the same type of issues that Erie County/local towns have. NY is just a larger version of the County with senseless spending.
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Why should Eliot be governor? Other than some fancy commercials, why?
Why indeed. I see no substance whatsoever.
64 I agree with you,God help us all if Adolph Spitzer wins election.
This race is over. Spitzer is our next Governor. As well there will be a Democrat in the Whitehouse. If this bothers you move out of NYS or move out of the Country entirely. Those are your options.
Explain why that will make our world a better place.Oh I forgot you are a public union employee that explains it. Oh kiss my ass.No the options are the people rise up and put you commie bastards in your place place. Go write a parking ticket and earn your pay will ya. Oh again kiss my ass
Or they could move to the Chalk Zone
are there taxes in the Chalk Zone?
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