Legislators OK $1 billion in union benefits

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.

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.

Much, much more…….

If this doesn’t wake people up then nothing will. In a year that we need serious reforms, restructuring of government and union support in concessions to show that they are in favor of at least, helping the residents and citizens of this state, legislation like this comes to the forefront.

Only one in four voters are connected with these unions, one in four… Are we going to sit idly by and allow them and the politicians in Albany to continue down the destructive path to bury us?

Everyone needs to see and realize that without changes in policy and laws, the unions will control us for decades to come.

The Taylor Law, the Tribourough amendment and the influence the unions have on our our government has got to come to an end.

A follow up article from Amherst Times…

In a disgraceful attempt to secure re-election, Albany has handed out gobs of money it doesn’t have to homeowners – in a one-shot deal, went further in debt by passing out billions to state cities, municipalities and school districts to lower their tax liabilities, and now will hand out $1 billion in giveaways to public sector unions and propose measures that will strengthen their bargaining powers.

Whereas the general public and business were looking for real tax relief, Albany has opted to support organized public service workers with passage of costly negotiation, job and retirement gains.

Albany just pulled the trigger of the gun they have held to taxpayer and business heads in adding to the $60 billion state debt in support of spending money for services we cannot afford. They have once again refused to act ethically and/or aptly in the best interest of New York State residents.
Written by Lee Chowaniec

Excellent article..