Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon public employe. (Salem, Oregon) 1981-???? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1994)
—......................... ...................................... ............................................... .—. - - -................. — ................. Four ballot measures: The clubs wielded by public employee bashers ■ Last issue of T he O regon P ublic E mployee showed who the public employee bashers are. Here are their clubs. Of these measures, only the “Vote on Everything” has qualified for the ballot. But, Bob Tieman’s repeal of the 6% pickup is sure to also. All of them would have a devastating impact on public pay, benefits, and jobs. Repeal 6% Pickup “Vote on Everything” Ballot Title: Shall the Constitution require public employees to pay part of salary toward pension, bar pension increases from unused sick leave. Ballot Title: Shall Oregon Constitu tion bar new or increased state and local taxes, certain fees, and certain charges without voter approval? Sponsors: State Representative Bob Tieman, R-Lake Oswego, a wealthy, conservative lawmaker who rapidly rose to prominence in his first legisla tive session bashing public employ- ees.Bill Sizemore, a businessman who formed Oregon Taxpayers United to bash public employees through the initiative process and made himself president. Sponsors: Frank Eisenzimmer, a Greshamhealth clubowner who, along with fellow Gresham health club owner, DonMcIntire, was responsible for Ballot Measure 5; Eisenzimmer also sponsored Oegon’s term limit initiative. Bill Sizemore of Oregon Taxpayers United. Why It’s Bad: It applies to all public employees — not just those in PERS „4“ °f the state, counties, cities, school districts, community colleges, and spe cial districts. It requires all to pay 6% toward their retirement. The effect of this is to cut take-home pay by 6%, and cut final average pay by 6% which means a 6% reduction in retirement benefits also. No employer pickup of the 6% may be agreed to or negotiated on or after January 1,1995. No alternatives, or “replace ment raises,” to the 6% pickup may be agreed to or negotiated on or after January 1,1995. No minimum may be set for interest to be credited to employee retirement funds. Repeals 8% per year guaranteed by PERS. Prohibits benefit credits for unused sick leave, even if provided by law or contract, beginning January 1, 1995. This would cut average PERS benefits by 5-14%. Page 8 Why It’s Bad: This measure has already qualified for the ballot. Applies to both state and local government taxes and fees. On revenue issues, it changes Oregon’s representative democracy to a statewide “town hall.”" With some exceptions such as college tuition, itrequires amajority vote for any “new tax” or “tax in creases” which raises the complexity and technical nature of the decisions voters would be asked to vote on. Often, even elected representatives, who spend a lot of time learning the mechanics of government, find rev enue issues confusing. The potential for false information ormisunderstand- ings to influence voting on these issues is high. This proposal will hamper ef fective response by government to unanticipated emergencies, such as forest fires, earthquakes, and floods, as well as development and planned im provements in sewers, roads, and other components of the infrastructure. “This is the ultimate govern ment wrecker,” The Oregonian said. “Fair Compensation Act” Davis-Bacon Repeal Ballot Title: Shall the state Constitu tion limit the average compensation of full-time government employees to the average in Oregon’s private sector. Ballot Title: Shall Oregon statutes requiring contractors and subcontrac tors to pay workers on all public works projects the prevailing (union) wage rate be repealed? Sponsors: Martin Buchanan, a Wash ington County technical writer mak ing a cottage industry bashing public employees. Gregg Clapper, a small time Gresham public relations opera tor, notedforthepublicemployee bash ing ads he puts on the radio. Why It’s Bad: Without regard to the differences in composition of the work force — where government has three times the percentage of professional jobs — this initiative would require average government pay to equal av erage private sector pay. The chart below shows how the measure would lead to absurd re sults to require parity in average com pensation between very different workforces. Sponsors: Joe Gilliam, the Oregon director of the National Federation of Independent Business. Hawkin Au and Kathleen Eldridge, businesspersons. Why It’s Bad: This is simply another attempt to force wages and benefits in Oregon into a downward spiral. The only variable this measure changes in public contracting law is that of wage and benefit rates, which are currently pegged to the prevailing wage of the region. This initiative forces people who work for contractors on govern ment projects to work for less. It would increase profit margins by re ducing labor costs, further eroding the ----- CHART ------- -———”----- ;—_■ S in c e Employer #1 the measure re Employer #2 quires only that the average pay 2 Health Professionals 2 Salespersons @ $40,000/yr each be equal, it could @ $12,000/yr each encourage some 1 Computer Programmer 1 Clerical Worker to help them @ $25,000/yr @ $20,000/yr selves to a pay raise at the ex 1 Clerical Worker 1 Custodian pense of all other @ $20,000/yr @ $16,000/yr employees—for example, elected 1 Custodian 1 Truck Driver officials are cov @ $16,000/yr @ $24,000/yr ered by the mea sure. 5FTE = $28,200/yr avg. 5 FTE = $16,000/yr avg, The measure charges the Secretary of State to hire an “inde standard of living for working people. pendent company under contract to Aside from the impact to the workers, the state” to determine the private sec the regional economy is weakened by tor average. the loss of family wage jobs. A government found in viola The argument that this initia tion is required to refund to taxpayers tive would save taxpayers money ig the overpayment, plus 6% interest. nores the hidden costs of cheap con A taxpayer may bring suit to tractors: Forcing workers to get by enforce the measure and, if they pre without adequate pensions, health vail, are entitled to “all reasonable care, or wages results in these work expenses of the suit, including, with ers needing public assistance when out limitation, attorney’s fees, costs, they can no longer work, when they and reasonable expenses at trial and on get sick, or when they earn too little appeal. Nogovemmentdefendant shall to feed their families and qualify for be entitled to attorney’s fees, costs, or food stamps. Cheap labor more of expenses.” ten than not means cheap quality. This initiative is a full em The public does not save money on ployment act for accountants, consult projects that must be done twice. ants, and lawyers.
