Anti-Union dues deduction bill would cost local governments more money

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The "geniuses" (sic) at the Goldwater Institute in their blind hatred for working people and unions are attacking automatic voluntary union dues deductions for union members.

Typically an employee has to request this only once, like filling out your W-4 tax withholding form, unless and until you change your status. GI wants employees to have to to request this automatic voluntary union dues deduction annually, which of course means more paperwork and processing and — you guessed it — more expense. And we're supposed to take business advice from these guys?

The Arizona Guardian (subscription required) reports Anti-union bill would cost taxpayers more money :

A proposed law that Republican lawmakers said would save taxpayers money by making it tougher for state employee unions to collect membership dues will end up costing local governments more if it passes.

The measure, which would bar government workers from automatically having their dues deducted from their paychecks, would cost municipalities hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the findings of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

In a report released late Wednesday, the non-partisan organization said, “Local governments estimated the impact to range from minimal to $300,000 in one-time spending and $85,000 per year in on-going expenditures.”

Despite this, our Tea-Publican state Senate in their blind hatred for working people and unions approved the bill on Thursday. Because they always do what the Goldwater Institute/ALEC tells them to do. Bill passes to weaken employee unions; Mesa GOP senators vote against:

SB 1484 scraps current law which allows state or local workers or teachers to have to sign up only once to have union dues deducted from their paychecks. Instead, the measure requires those employees to sign up annually for such deductions.

Several other measures crafted by the Goldwater Institute, which has been engaged in perennial fights with public employee unions, still await action. That includes a broad proposal to preclude collective state and local governments and school districts from engaging in any form of collective bargaining with employee groups.

The 19-11 vote occurred with two Republicans, Rich Crandall and Jerry Lewis, both of Mesa, siding with Democrats against the measure. The bill now goes to the House.

Howard Fischer, in his role as water-carrier for Tea-Publicans, is unintentionally funny with this quote from Sen. "Don't make me angry" Frank Antenori:

Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, said there is a cost to the government to operate a system that allows deductions, a cost borne by the government and, by extension, the taxpayers.

What an idiot! The JLBC said this bill will cost government more: “Local governments estimated the impact to range from minimal to $300,000 in one-time spending and $85,000 per year in on-going expenditures.”

Clearly Antenori did not read the JLBC report, nor did he care. He is motivated by blind hatred for unions:

He said there is nothing inherently wrong with automatic deductions. What is wrong, Antenori said, is using those public resources to help unions with their efforts to lobby the Legislature, often in ways he believes are contrary to what other taxpayers might want.

"If you have people that are able to bring large amounts of money and large organizations to bear to influence elected officials or bodies for their benefit at the expense of others, I think we have to seriously consider this,'' he said. "All this does is level the playing field.''

Riiight. Like union lobbyists have anywhere near the financial resources of corporate lobbyists who own our Tea-Publican legislature lock, stock and barrel. And lobbyists like the Goldwater Institute/ALEC who do not even register as lobbyists, but are writing their bills for them. "Level the playing field?" You're a laugh riot, Frank. He'll be playing here all week, be sure to tip your waitress.