The Oregon public employe., March 01, 1981, Page 5, Image 5

P O L IT IC A L
A C T IO N
\
Parking fees face
legislative hurdles
State employes have won three
major points in their fight for
equitable changes in the fee struc­
ture for state employe parking lots.
In a work session on legislation
that w ill establish new statutes
covering these fees, the Senate
Government Activities Committee:
► eliminated the $20 base rate for
state employes in major metropoli­
tan areas,
► set aside General Services’ plan
to establish a minimum fee of $10
fo ra ll state parking lots in outlying
and rural areas, and
► instructed General Services Di­
rector Darrell Ralls not to implement
any portion of his department’s pro­
posed rules for parking fees.
Despite these new developments,
state employes may not obtain new
statuatory language that is com­
pletely satisfactory, according to
Chuck Mendenhall, OPEU Govern­
ment Relations director.
“ New language in the legislation
on parking fees sets base rates in
accordance with local market condi­
tions, he said. “ This is fair for both
the state and its employes'in outly­
ing and rural areas.”
However, Mendenhall cited a ma­
jor problem with the new language.
“ Establishing parking fees In accor­
dance with local market conditions
in major metropolitan areas, en­
ables agencies to use this fee as a
funding devise for their overall
budget, because local market condi­
tions are governed by profit-making
parking facilities.”
In Salem, for example, a $20 fee
for the 95 employes at the central
CSD office would raise enough
revenue to pay the entire yearly
building lease. A lease in which
parking is included.
Additional light was shed on the
state’s full intent for increased park­
ing revenues, when Ralls told law­
makers that the additional parking
revenues would help build up a
reserve fund to be used for new
parking structures.
Under original proposals, some
new parkigg structures would be
used for visito r and non-state
employe parking.
“ Beyond the actual cost of park­
ing spaces, state employes should
not have to help pay the state’s bills
in order to work,” Mendenhall said.
“ We must continue to put pres­
sure on management and the legis­
lature so appropriate language can
be written into this legislation,” he
added. “ More strong responses
from state em ployes,like th eir
Reaction . . .
From page 1
The sudden turn towards conser­
vative dogma in the nation’s capital
may actually work to the benefit of
unions, according to Donahue.
“ Instead of crushing the labor
movement, a right-wing attack on
the social programs we have long
supported could create conditions
whereby non-union workers need
unions more than they do today. By
weakening or eliminating these gov­
ernm ent-supported s o cia l p ro ­
grams, the fact that unions are able
united opposition at General Serv­
ices' public hearings on these fees,
will help shape this legislation into
more equitable form.”
The new statuatory language was
written by the Government Ac­
tivities Committee’s staff as amend­
ments to S.B. 136. In part it says,
“ The base rate for leasing parking
spaces shall be set by the agency
responsible for leasing the space
considering market conditions.”
Reduced parking-fee incentives
for car pooling were left in the
legislation.
Language that would treat state
employes more fairly is contained in
amendments offered by OPEU. In
part they say, “ Changes for uses of
grounds and facilities used for park­
ing (shall) be established in a man­
ner which recognizes the agency’s
cost to provide such facilities.”
The bill will now move to the
Senate floor where approval is ex­
pected.
It will then be transmitted to the
House and assigned to committee
for a new round of hearings and
public testimony.
S.B. 136 is primarily a response to
state employes' vehement opposi­
tion to the proposed rules aimed at
complying with a 1977 law. govern­
ing parking fees, and to General Ser­
vice’s desire to be relieved of the
burden for administration of the
law.
The statute was established to
encourage alternative modes of
transportation, reduce traffic con­
gestion in major metropolitan areas
and pay operating costs of parking
lots.
State employes’ objections to the
proposed rule centered on flat-rate
increases of 100 percent in major
metropolitan areas, as well as on a
flat rate of $10 for all state lots in
outlying and rural areas.
Serious questions about the in­
tent of the proposed rule change
were raised when surveys showed
that state employes are using mass
transportation and carpooling In
greater numbers than ever before.
When figures showing receipts
from the rule change were projected
to be $769,296 for the 1981-83 bien­
nium, opposition to the fee increase
became broad-based and heated.
Overflow crowds of state em­
ployes showed up at public hear­
ings on General Services’ proposed
rule and OPEU Executive Director
Thomas Gallagher suggested to
state employes that they not pay
any increase if it is implemented.
/ * ■
to negotiate benefits w ill become
m ore a p p a re n t to n o n -u n io n
workers."
“ Labor unions can play the game
either way,” Donahue said. “ We can
seek gains for all workers through
le g is la tio n or only fo r union
members through collective bar­
gaining. While the former serves our
interest in the welfare of all workers,
the latter best serves the labor
movement’s parochial interest in
taking care of its members."
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Page 5