We’ve said it here before. Public employee unions in Ohio hold a privileged status above their private sector neighbors who pay them. They wield power over the taxpayers’ elected local and state officials that make it very difficult to balance budgets.
They have lied about the necessary and timely reforms contained in Senate Bill 5 from the very beginning. Their Democrat allies refused to negotiate ANY types of reform at all. No amendments to the bill were offered in the legislature. Not one. Why? Because they will not give up one ounce of the unions power. Their position all along was “kill the bill completely.” Their argument was that the status quo is just fine.
Two months ago, meetings were held to further discuss compromise on the bill. The unions walked away.
And just last week, they were invited again to sit down and work out an agreement. They refused to show up.
Their answer is that you should be taxed more to help local governments pay for their excesses. While most of us pay 23% of our health insurance premiums, they say paying 15% is unreasonable. While most of us pay half of our retirement savings, they say asking them to pay 10% is “an attack on the middle class”.
They will do anything and say anything to keep their power. They’ve forcibly taken extra money from their members to put together a misleading campaign of mistruths. But even that wasn’t good enough for them. Now, the union front group “We Are Ohio” is using your tax dollars to communicate a list full of false information about the bill.
The ballot argument submitted by We Are Ohio is so full of outright false statements that it barely belongs in a newsstand tabloid. It’s just a complete and deliberate attempt to deceive. The Ohio Ballot Board even took the extra step of adding a disclaimer due to concerns about the accuracy of the campaign’s submitted argument. Ohioans are now forced to fund the publication of this tripe under the guise of educating voters, and the ballot board is powerless to stop it. Voters should understand that, once again, the opponents of Issue 2 will do or say anything to keep the failed policies that have led our state in the wrong direction, even if it means using their tax dollars to do so.
Click the link to see the most egregious of their deliberate lies, and the actual truth of the bill.
Ohioans support many of the reforms contained in Senate Bill 5. Last weeks final refusal to discuss any reform at all should tell you the contempt the public unions apparently have for Ohio’s taxpayers who are repeatedly sending the message at the polls that they are taxed enough.
This November, send the message that the taxpayers and voters should have the influence over their local governments, not the unions. Vote YES on Issue 2.
Update: GOHP Blog goes right after probably the worst lie the unions tell. Be sure to check it out. Un. Real.
