dagblog - Comments for " Unions Forcing Cities to Pay For Services They Can't Afford"

I pretty much agree with

jaisizzle — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:00:34 +0000

In reply to Appreciate the perspective,

I pretty much agree with everything you're saying here.

But please note that Bankruptcy is not skirting any responsibility, where is a city supposed to get money when there is none? Vallejo, word on the street was paying out something like 70% to safety employees. The average city pays about 50%. So when Vallejo a charter city is forced to pay this tab they have to make concessions elswhere. They can either take the BIA out of their charter, or not and pay outrageous sums of money.

One last thought, the amount of money that unions spend on electing officials ties their hands, whether the legislature likes the policy or not. It ties their hands in order to get reelected and not totally castigated by every union etc. So the elected officials involved in CDIAC are anything but neutral. That's just how its being packaged and sold and the public thinks they're getting bargain prices, and when that product doen'st work they will be sold a new and improved product, one that's even better thatn the first.

The bill analysis is worth the read its not long, but given the the analysis, overall its not generally assumed to be a good idea.

Appreciate the perspective,

Brian Matthews — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:41:19 +0000

In reply to Unions Forcing Cities to Pay For Services They Can't Afford

Appreciate the perspective, Justin - not sure I agree. Last time I checked, state taxpayers funnel upwards of $25 billion a year to local governments, and as a result, we deserve to have our voices heard before drastic action is taken. More importantly, any municipal bankruptcy is an issue of statewide concern, since it harms the state’s bond rating and threatens the health of ALL municipal bonds. Further, many of the news articles I've read in recent months have higlighted how public employee unions up and down California have offered hundreds of millions of dollars in concessions in order to help their cities weather this economic downturn. Isn't government's first responsibility the safety and protection of us -- its citizens? I tend to view bankruptcy as a desertion of that responsibility. So when a local government, like Vallejo, threatens it, I support the concept of an experienced, neutral entity stepping in on behalf of taxpayers to ensure that the bankruptcy is real, and not simply a negotiating tactic. My two cents ...

Thanks for posting, Justin.

Michael Wolraich — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:07:51 +0000

In reply to Unions Forcing Cities to Pay For Services They Can't Afford

Thanks for posting, Justin. How is the state able to raid city coffers? Do the cities have any legal recourse against the bill?