Thank God Issue 2 Failed #7865307248567 (Update)

How Can People Who Educate Our Children and Defend Us be So Dumb and Buy Union B.S.?

Or...where is your buddy the unions now that you are RIF'ed?

I told many of my teacher friends and fellow educators at the learning center that they didn't understand what they were doing when they voted against issue 2. They said I was just buying the propaganda of the right, that I was jaded by my own experiences. Well, gee, guess who bought a pile of b.s.? From Big Government:

One month ago Ohio voted with its heart against reforms portrayed as an attack on public workers. Ohio, DC, and New York union bosses spent more than $30 million drenching the airwaves in images of sad firefighters, sad police officers, and evil Republicans, convincing voters to overlook a broken status quo.

A month later, how are local governments celebrating the union victory on Issue 2?
, despite the city’s police and fire budgets both increasing by nearly 1/3 in the past decade. In Hamilton, a $5.9 million death tax haul will delay the inevitable:

Inflation coupled with new technology costs and the significant rises in health care costs have contributed to the rise in safety services budgets [...]

The Hamilton fire union contract contains a minimum staffing clause, which means overtime if people are out sick or on vacation. When staffing dipped to 106 between 2008 and 2010, overtime was a significant factor in the fire budget increase, city officials have said.

Emphasis mine. Cleveland City School District is eliminating preschool, high school busing, and 75 security positions:

With labor costs making up the majority of school budgets, the district has sought to make up much of that ground through negotiations with unions representing Cleveland school employees. Negotiations with the teachers union have continued since March, with the district seeking significant pay concessions.

Westerville City School District is firing 62 support staff, cutting busing, and eliminating all sports:

Officials from the teachers union have said the plan also would cut about 175 teaching positions.

The proposed cuts follow a Nov. 8 levy defeat in which 61 percent of voters rejected a combined income-tax and property-tax request.

In Lancaster, where income- and property-tax issues also failed:

One of Lancaster’s three city firehouses was closed last month after the mayor laid off 13 firefighters to help balance the budget. The 68 firefighters remaining have predicted response times will increase in the city of about 37,000, but they could not say by how much.

In Trumbull County:

The state Controlling Board has approved an advance payment of more than $1.9 million to help the Liberty Township school district pay its bills.

The reforms in Issue 2 would’ve helped localities control health & pension costs, ended last-in-first-out layoffs, instituted merit pay, and equipped elected leaders with some flexibility at the expense of union bosses. Good thing we avoided that miserable fate!

The unions made this bed, and Ohio voters were gullible enough to climb into it. Or, as Obama confidante and millionaire AFL-CIO kingpin Richard Trumka boasted after the election:

Go in and make war on your employees rather than make jobs with your employees, and you do so at your own peril.

True to form, Trumka insists the problem is Governor Kasich’s refusal to embrace failed “stimulus” spending. Pay no attention to the dishonest class-warriors siphoning millions from government workers behind the curtain.

The sun will keep rising in the east, and union apologists will continue blaming local budget troubles on reduced state spending. It’s true that Governor Kasich cut spending to cover a deficit estimated at $8 billion when Governor Strickland left office. It’s also true that the Progressive solution is Obamanomics at the state level: out-of-control unions, bigger government, and higher taxes to pay for both.

Which has worked brilliantly to date.

Check out the original article for the links. I told my friends. All they told me was that we didn't support those who serve us. I said b.s. I said in the long run SB5/Issue 2 would save and create jobs and getting rid of it would cost jobs. Well, guess who is being proven right and who is out joining me in the former public school teacher category: many of the people who believed union dogma over common sense.

Issue 2 Update: Make Public Workers as Accountable as You and Me

In a message from Jeff Berding, former 3 term DEMOCRAT member of Cincinnati City Council and an Issue 2/SB5 SUPPORTER:

Think about this comment:

“If you or I get pulled over, we get handcuffed and go to jail. But if a sheriff’s deputy shows up to work drunk, he can keep his job. Assuming it’s a first offense, he suffers no real consequence. He gets a clean record; we don’t.”

That's just a taste of what you'll learn in this Cincinnati Enquirer article about some of the fringe benefits and protections uncovered in government employee union contracts. Here are a few highlights:

· Health care coverage at NO COST

· Protections for employees who "repeatedly engage in misconduct"

· A clean record, even if you test positive for drugs or alcohol

· Cash bonuses for being in shape or for not missing work

It sounds ridiculous, but you'll find these provisions and more stuffed into government labor contracts all across Ohio. And YOU'RE PAYING FOR THEM.

The bottom line here is too many of these contracts are out of control, and they're costing us more than we can afford (not to mention protecting bad employees).

Opponents are fighting hard to keep these contracts in place. They are fighting for the 7% of employees in Ohio who work for government. Don't you wish they fought as hard for the 93% who are paying for the bill? Vote your pocketbook. Vote for fairness.

On Tuesday, November 8th, we can fix this. We can respect our government employees AND taxpayers by finally getting the system under control, stopping the wasteful spending and moving Ohio in new, more prosperous direction.

I hope you'll join me in voting YES on Issue 2.

Sincerely,

Jeff Berding
Former Three-Term Cincinnati City Council member



P.S. - I'm a registered Democrat, who's in this fight to help build a better Ohio for this generation and the next. Join me. Forward this message to your family and friends, and encourage them to look beyond partisanship and vote YES on Issue 2.

What article is Jeff talking about? It is here and below are some "highlights":

Contracts approved by Cincinnati City Council include benefits that, among other things, permit many workers to draw 13 sick days a year, grant three weeks’ worth of compensatory time to public safety employees for holidays whether they work them or not, and entitle veteran police officers to nearly 10 weeks of various leaves annually.

In Butler County, sheriff’s deputies can earn a $200 per year physical fitness incentive based on how fast they can run a mile and how many pushups and sit ups they can do. There are different standards based on age and gender.

The public employee contracts in Cincinnati and the counties of Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren, their municipalities and the state are laced with lucrative provisions, all approved by our elected representatives – township trustees, county commissioners, city councils – but seldom found in the private sector.

Wow. That seems a bit much compared to you and I, common working schleps who have to work private sector jobs. Listen to this contempt and lame excuse from a "union boy":

Don’t fault the unions, said Doug Stern, a Cincinnati firefighter who is active in the campaign against Issue 2. “We have always been willing to talk,” he said. “Good negotiations come from sitting down together.”

Wrong-O, bub. Unions distract with other issues on one hand while adding in perks like these with the other. When they come up later for discussion, the union is aghast and says, it was always in there. We aren't giving up this or that. How do I know? I have been in unions and have many people I know who have been on leadership teams of unions. Some even joke about misdirecting attention to get perks. You think these are a little much? Check out this stuff from the Enquirer article:

many examples exist where contracts diverge between the private to public sectors. Here are a couple:

• Provisions found in public safety contracts in Hamilton County remove prior discipline from employee records after a period ranging from one to five years. This means a police officer or deputy sheriff can repeatedly engage in misconduct involving the public or co-workers, such as excessive force or sexual misconduct, and as long as enough time passes between each incident, each time it’s treated as if it never happened. A similar provision appeared in the three-year contract that ended in 2008 for union employees of Hamilton County’s Head Start program.

• Hamilton County public safety employees suffer no discipline the first time they test positive on the job for drugs or alcohol, as long as they willingly submit to rehabilitation. The union contracts say the test results can’t be used for criminal proceedings.

This stuff is what Jeff Berding was getting at in his message. Private sector workers don't get this amount of protection. Why should those who are, as the We Are(NOT)Ohio ads say, our everyday heroes, responsible for our lives? Should we let them walk when they are the ones who are supposed to enforce the laws they are breaking? Sound hypocritical? You betcha.

Issue 2 will help change things from this status quo and give cities and districts MORE MONEY and flexibility to hire more teachers, firefighters, etc. and hold them accountable. It will also open up formerly closed shops in the public sector.

Despite what the commercials say, think logically. If you make the public sector workers contribute a little more, that frees up money back to the government agencies, districts, cities, etc. That money can be used to hire more people. And if, as they anti-Issue 2 ads say, that staffing goes down to below preferable levels, the people have the ability to vote out govt. officials who cut staff and elect new ones who will get staffing up.

Now, if Issue 2 fails, let's think about it. Unions will continue to hold districts and cities hostage and demand more and more. If, as the unions say, they are all for negotiating for more teachers, then why have they not already made changes to allow more teachers? They haven't. That should tell you logically that it is not about staffing, but about their own pocketbooks. If issue 2 fails, spending will grow, budgets will have to be tightened. This means less activities for kids, larger class sizes, and teachers who long ago decided to mail it in. I don't think that is good for Ohio's future, do you?

Instead of leaving it in the hands of unions, who just want more money, let's give it back to the voters, eh?

Issue 2 Gives Back to Taxpayers and Can Keep Young People Here

Issue 2: Opportunity

Instead of just going on the attack against the lies and harm that has been done by the public sector unions, Governor Kasich and others want to discuss opportunity and stay about the fray, unlike the We Are (not)Ohio Liars club:

Lt. Governor Mary Taylor on Issue 2

From Lt. Governor Mary Taylor:

In days, we will decide the future of our state.

I hope you can take a minute to read this excellent summary of Issue 2 by Kevin O'Brien, a columnist at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.

Here's a quick preview:

"Issue 2 opponents have worked hard to make this election about emotion. They have also ignored the inconvenient certainty that the financial situations of localities across Ohio will necessitate layoffs, whether or not Issue 2 passes. They are quite prepared, though of course they will not say so, to resort to the time-honored union practice of "eating their young" when layoff time comes, so as to protect union leaders and other senior employees. That's why any talk of merit is anathema to them.

If they win Tuesday, it will be because a majority of Ohioans do not understand the seriousness of an impending fiscal crisis at all levels of government."

Let's make sure that doesn't happen. We've made so much progress this year, from eliminating an $8 billion budget shortfall without raising taxes to saving or creating 35,000 jobs. We can't afford to turn back now.

Please share this email with your Ohio friends and family, and encourage them to get out and vote YES on Issue 2 now by early ballot or in-person at Tuesday's election.

Together, we can build a better Ohio for this generation and the next.

Sincerely,



Mary Taylor
Ohio's Lieutenant Governor


P.S. Have you seen the long list of organizations that have endorsed a YES on Issue 2? Check it out here.

Honest Police Officer Tells Truth (not Union Propaganda) on Issue 2

From Chief Deputy Sean Donovan:

If I thought for a second that the reasonable reforms of Issue 2 would put you or my fellow officers at risk, I wouldn't be anywhere near it. Frankly, I'm supporting a YES vote on Issue 2 because I know that your safety is threatened WITHOUT these reforms.

What opponents won't tell you is that the current, unsustainable system is forcing us to lay off good police officers and firefighters because our communities are struggling to balance their budgets. The reforms of Issue 2 will help them save public safety jobs and keep safety services without raising the tax burden on hardworking families.

Don't believe the scare tactics being used by people who want to defend an unsustainable system that puts union contracts ahead of taxpayers. Let's make sure we can protect the public by voting YES on Issue 2.

Sincerely,

Sean Donovan
Chief Deputy Sheriff
Hamilton County

There is also a video message from Chief Deputy Donovan


What he is saying is the truth....the facts...as opposed to propaganda and lies from the We Are (not)Ohio Liars club.......

Teacher Voices Support for Issue 2/SB5 With Logic, Grace, and Truth

...as opposed to the We Are Ohio (but aren't really from Ohio, many of their "grassroots" are union activists from out of state, as State Senator Shannon Jones tweeted over the weekend) Liars club...
From the News Democrat:

To the editor:

On Sept. 25, Mike Riley, of Lake Waynoka wrote a letter about Issue 2 urging everyone to do their own research and then asked loaded questions like, "Who do you trust more, politicians of teachers?" I want to present some facts any of which you can Google (just be sure to use primary sources, not political ones) and my own loaded questions.

First, the money for public workers' health care and retirement benefits is not there. The only way to continue paying those benefits is a drastic tax hike on those of us who do pay taxes. I am a retired teacher and for years listened to my self-employed husband point out what a sweetheart benefits deal we teachers enjoyed. If a drastic tax hike does not pass in Ohio, assuming Issue 2 is repealed, then lay-offs of public workers will certainly follow. Hamilton County is talking about laying-off deputies, and Cincinnati was bailed out recently from a similar fate by temporary money from Washington. Private workers, most of whom have never enjoyed paid-for health care and retirement benefits, always foot the bill for public employees and their unions.

Second, all but three of Ohio's 88 counties' school districts are projecting huge deficits. (Ohio Department of Education at http://fyf.oecn.k12.oh.us/viewforecast) Local districts have eliminated busing, librarians, teachers,and free extra curricular activities. The answer from the Ohio Education Association was to charge teachers an extra $50 plus to fund the TV ad campaign against Issue 2. The ads say "could" result in fewer police, firemen, etc. The opposite is true. If Issue 2 is repealed, there will be lay-offs. The extra $50 was on top of the $800 union dues of the National Education Association which has already endorsed Obama for 2012 and contributed $50 million to his election in 2008.

Mr. Riley stated that school districts currently require teachers to pay 15 percent of their health care and 10 percent of their retirement. If that is so, why do we need Issue 2? He also states many schools are rated "excellent" by the state. (That reminds me of Garrison Keillor's "Lake Woe-Be-Gone, where all the children are above average.") If that is so, why are the SAT scores for the 2011 high school graduating class the lowest averages ever recorded in reading and writing? Only 43 percent of 1.6 million students who took the SAT (college entrance exam) scored high enough to indicate they were prepared for college. (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 15, 2011) According to Bill and Melinda Gates in another Wall Street Journal article, "Grading the Teachers," (Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 22-23, 2011) 98 percent of school teachers are rated "satisfactory." They state, "Clearly, rating systems that pass nearly everybody are a fraud." Clearly, reforms are needed. Issue 2 is a step in the right direction of returning decision making to local school boards, and ironically, to teachers themselves.

The NEA is on record stating they will put students first when students pay union dues. (NEA General Council Bob Chanin, July, 2009) (blo.heritage.org/2009/07/09/nea-general-council)

Mr. Riley sees Republicans trying to de-fund Democrats by depriving them of union money. Gov. Kasich set a meeting for the unions to negotiate issues. The unions boycotted. The lies and scare tactics in the union sponsored commercials frighten me. I know good people who believe everything their unions and their TV tell them. In solving Ohio's budget crises, whom do you believe, the union protesters who trashed the state house in Madison, Wis., and shouted down opposition, the union protesters in Columbus who also shouted down and did their best to intimidate the supporters of Issue 2 - or do you believe the politicians who endured that abuse and did the right thing any way?

Don't misunderstand me here. I am no fan of politicians. They are "the ruling class" and do not live like the "country class." But I do support Issue 2. It's time to get Ohio's financial house in order.

Vickie A. Warren

Bethel

God bless teachers like Mrs. Warren. Her students were lucky to have her in the classroom. Unlike certain other SW Ohio teachers who do more HARM than good, throwing students in trashcans, encouraging them to live the same alternative lifestyles they do, and also on their social media pages showing pictures supporting anti-semitic groups like Occupy, etc. with fraudulent claims about 1% vs. 99%, Mrs. Warren uses researchable facts and not innuendo. She uses logic and not ignorance. God bless you, Mrs. Warren.

Danny Bubp on Issue 2/SB5: Schools Will Have Flexibility, Can Hire More Teachers

As their budgets tighten, schools have relied more heavily on levies. This has obviously increased uncertainty for schools across the state because a levy's passage is never guaranteed. It is especially challenging in times like these, when families - facing layoffs or pay freezes - have been forced to tighten their own belts and are thus less able to support tax increases.

While these are certainly trying times, simple changes can be made. Senate Bill 5 gives schools greater flexibility over their budgets, which in the past has not been available to them because of growing union demands. Such demands included automatic pay raises, excessive paid leave and generous retirement packages.

Besides lessening the burden on taxpayers to cover teachers' healthcare and retirement benefits, SB 5 also eliminates the "last hired, first fired" policy that has long been a staple in union contracts. In the past, this policy has cost many young and energetic teachers their jobs, simply because they were not as tenured. Also, because younger teachers are often paid less, when layoffs were necessary, schools have been forced to cut more teaching positions in order to cover their deficits.

The previous General Assembly refused to confront these issues, electing instead to fill gaps in the education budget with one-time stimulus funds. They knew this would not solve the problem over the long haul, but did it anyway because it was more politically expedient.

That option is no longer available. If we do not get our fiscal house in order, schools will continue trying to pass levies onto the backs of local taxpayers who simply can no longer afford them.

Danny Bubp

State Representative

88th Ohio House District

Budish Joins We Are Ohio in Issue 2 Liars Club

State House minority leader Budish is no stranger to obfuscation and lying. His turn as majority leader of the Ohio House showed that often. Now, he is really going into propaganda mode. From the Intelligencer:

During the Belmont County Democratic Party's annual summer gathering Sunday, Ohio House of Representatives Minority Leader Armond Budish attacked SB 5. Budish, D-Beachwood, said the law "contains horrible cuts to education, local governments and law enforcement, and leaves our communities less safe."

No, it does not. Though state legislators are considering budget measures that reduce support of public schools and local governments, they are not included in SB 5. The law says nothing about how much money Columbus will dole out for education or local governments. Nothing.

SB 5 relates only to collective bargaining by public employees, along with how their pay and benefits are handled. Budish knows that, yet chose - as have many critics of the law - to misrepresent the situation.

"We're seeing an unprecedented attack on the middle class coming from Columbus," Budish continued.

Again, no. Unless Budish believes public employee union members are the only members of the middle class in Ohio, he's not being candid. In fact, public employees are a tiny fraction of the Buckeye State's middle class.

As far as collective bargaining limits in SB 5, there are some. But the new law does permit public employee unions to continue negotiating their members' pay, the most important item in most contracts.

Among other provisions of the law are one requiring public employees to pay at least 15 percent of the cost of their health insurance, another outlawing strikes by public employees, and a third requiring teachers' pay raises be awarded on merit, not seniority.

Far from attacking the middle class, SB 5 gives their elected representatives on school boards and other local entities the ability to curb the ever-increasing cost of government. That will help, not hurt, the overwhelming majority of middle-class Ohioans.

Again, Budish knows all this. His philosophy and that of public employee union leaders is simple: Misleading Ohioans worked well in the past, so why shouldn't it now?

But there is a difference this year: Buckeye State residents have seen the harm done by liberal, special interest politics in the past. They're not going to fall for it again.

Let us hope that the people of the Buckeye State look to the truth and not blatant lies from desperate unions and their desperate beneficiaries.

A Teacher Stands up for Issue 2/SB5

This guy better change is name and address. He is in deep trouble. However, he has chosen to speak up. I know quite a few teachers that privately will tell me they are in favor of and see the logic in Issue2/sb5, but don't speak up due to fear of union reprisals. That should show you who is the more virtuous. Those holding court with fear or those speaking real truth to power. But, here is what this retired teacher says, and I think we all should listen:

I taught in a district that had 85 percent reduced-price lunches. We were one of the poorest districts in the state, which means that for every dollar I was paid as a teacher, the state of Ohio paid 85 percent and the local residents paid 15 percent.

But herein lies the problem.

We had an administrator who retired at $80,000 a year, was rehired at the same salary he had just left behind, and then got another $40,000 a year from the State Teachers Retirement System, making him $120,000 a year.

So, when he was rehired, 85 percent of his $80,000 was paid by the taxpayers of Ohio. In this one simple action by the local school board, every taxpayer in our state was held liable for his salary.

A new principal was denied a chance to become an educational leader, new educational ideas were lost and the school system became an example of cronyism. And the state once more was scheduled to pay 85 percent of a salary that could have been a lot less if a new and younger person full of creative ideas had been hired.

We shouldn't be so willing to spend the public money of hard-working Ohioans.

Members of the public should have some say in the matter, since it's their money.

I believe Ohio Senate Bill 5 would put the power of spending their hard-earned dollars back in the hands of the taxpayers, just where it should be.

DAVID A. KUNKLER

Rushville

We Are Ohio=Liars Club on Issue 2

The We Are Ohio Gang are full of misrepresentations and obfuscations. Here are some of the latest examples. First we have even the Cleveland Plain Dealer calling Shenanigans:

Rather than talking about what the law actually does, like a broken record We Are Ohio continues to rely on exaggerations, distortions and class warfare.


From the ad, you’d think Ohio’s elected leaders made sure they didn’t have the same health care and pension contribution requirements as they ask of everyone else.

Except Politifact states:

As for benefits, state lawmakers already pay health insurance costs and contribute toward their pension in line with SB 5’s provisions. Medical coverage rates and required pension fund contributions for lawmakers mirror those of unionized state workers. Therefore, they typically pay at least 15 percent of their medical insurance premiums and, if enrolled, must contribute 10 percent of their salary to the retirement system.


Don’t let We Are Ohio win just because they yell the loudest.

And then, we have also heard the talk about how nurses are going to be cut and "not be able to negotiate for more"...Child please. Again, from politifact Ohio, not exactly right leaning:

The commercial, which began airing on Sept. 27, raises questions about how SB 5 impacts nurses – a group of workers less commonly associated with SB 5 than others, such as police officers and teachers. PolitiFact Ohio decided to check the ad’s claim.

We started by checking how many nurses belong to public unions and, therefore, will be affected by SB 5.

There are about 160,000 registered nurses in the state and between 6,000 and 10,000 of those are public employees, according to the Ohio Nurses Association. That means SB 5 would affect between 4 percent and 6.25 percent of Ohio nurses.

The Ohio Nurses Association represents about 3,000 public-sector nurses, chief executive officer Gingy Harshey-Meade said. The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association and the Service Employees International Union also represent Ohio nurses. These nurses work at places such as prisons, city or county hospitals and public health departments.

When the nurse in the commercial says the new law will make it harder for nurses to provide care, the following text appears on the screen: "Source: Senate Bill 5; p229, Section 4117.08 (B)."

That section of the law specifies a handful of subjects that cannot be collectively bargained. Among those topics is "the number of employees required to be on duty or employed in any department."

In an email, We Are Ohio spokeswoman Melissa Fazekas said the restriction on bargaining staffing relates to patient care because "it is more difficult for a nurse to provide quality care when he/she is working short-staffed."

Jason Mauk, spokesman for the pro-SB 5 group Building a Better Ohio, sought to minimize the idea that SB 5 bans workers from negotiating staffing. He said management can discuss the issue if it chooses. As evidence, he has pointed to a different provision in SB 5 that lists "the number of persons required to be employed or laid off" under topics that can be negotiated at management’s discretion.

It is unclear how this provision would mesh with the ban cited in We Are Ohio’s commercials about nurses and firefighters. Certainly, however, management has no obligation to discuss staffing and unions do not have the right to collectively bargain the issue.

The current collective bargaining agreement that covers Turner, the nurse featured in the commercial, gives some insight into how SB 5 would affect nurses working conditions.

Turner, who works at the Ohio State University Ross Heart Hospital, is represented by the Ohio Nurses Association. The union’s contract with the university contains a clause that gives management the right to set staffing levels.

ONA’s contract with OSU says management has the right "to determine staffing and staffing patterns including, but not limited to the assignment of nurses as to the numbers employed, duties to be performed, qualifications required, and areas worked."

That sounds a lot like the rule that SB 5 would impose.
there are some critical facts on which the ad is silent.

First, it is impossible to say whether public employers will cut nursing staffs. The ad assumes that with staffing non-negotiable, management will cut staffs or not provide adequate staffing to a point that it will have an impact on the quality of care.

That’s where this claim differs from the claim in the previous ad involving firefighters, which specifically focused on the inability to bargain over staffing. This claim goes one step further, saying it will make patient care harder to provide.

Even more significantly, though, the commercial makes no distinction between nurses who are public employees and those who are non-public employees, and as such implies all nurses will suffer if Issue 2 passes. But only a tiny fraction of Ohio nurses are public employees - just four to six of every 100.

A listener knowing those critical facts would have a different impression of the claim.

On the Truth-O-Meter, the claim rates Mostly False.

Let's discuss more about the nursing thing. From the Toledo Blade:

Opponents to Issue 2 claim that SB5, which would be repealed if Issue 2 fails, will cause harm to nurses. Quoting from the We are Ohio website, http://action.weareohio.com/page/s/issue2primer:

“Issue 2 will make our nursing shortage worse. It makes it illegal for nurses, hospital and clinic workers to demand reasonable and safe staffing levels—so nurses will juggle more patients while their salaries and benefits are cut.”

This claim is also made in a We are Ohio television ad.

The Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) summarizes their position against Issue 2 as follows:

(SB5) . . . would strip public workers of their rights to collectively bargain for fair and equitable workplace conditions. For nurses, it’s a matter of life or death (emphasis theirs) Collective bargaining allows us to advocate for protections that directly affect patient safety and care. This includes making sure nurses aren’t assigned to too many patients at once or forced to work long, overtime hours that lead to burnt (sic) out and injury, and make them unable to effectively care for patients (from http://www.nfn.org/archives/1559).

Like We are Ohio’s site, both this ONA site and the one detailing ONA’s arguments (see http://www.nursesrepealsb5.org/know-the-facts.html) are rich in talking points but devoid of supporting evidence. Given the total failure of the opposition to back up their claims with citations from SB5, we can only search the text of the law and guess at what the opponents are referring to.

After ruling out any other rational possibilities from the results of my search of the text, what apparently has the opponents exercised is Sec. 339.07 (B). This section states that the administrators of county hospitals “shall ensure that the hospital has such physicians, nurses, and other employees as are necessary for the proper care, control, and management of the county hospital and its patients.” This is repeated in Sec. 749.083 (B) in the context of non-profit hospitals.

Based on this evidence from SB5 itself, the arguments made by We are Ohio and the ONA are illogical and flawed. They claim that SB5 will result in unsafe and unreasonable staffing levels in hospitals. But the language of the bill flatly contradicts this claim, unless one is willing to believe that hospital administrators are inherently so incompetent that they are incapable of fulfilling the law’s requirement to provide proper staffing.

Moreover, this argument is also based on deceit. As noted in the Columbus Dispatch’s Campaign Ad Watch analysis of the aforementioned TV ad, nurses do not have the right to negotiate staffing levels. The Dispatch notes that, under current law, nurses’ committees can suggest staffing levels to hospitals, but the levels are not subject to collective bargaining. SB5 not only does not mandate staffing levels for nurses, as opponents suggest; it also does not change current law regarding negotiation of staffing levels. (Neither does SB5 cut salaries and benefits, nor does it restrict or ban collective bargaining; but those are broader topics for later discussions.)

The intent of this argument against SB5 is not to inform, but to induce panic among the uninformed. Please, do not take the opponents at their word. Neither do I want you to take me at mine. Do what I did: Study the bill for yourself and see what it says. SB5′s text is at http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_SB_5_EN_N.pdf, and it’s fully searchable.

I am Ohio, and so is every Ohioan who favors Issue 2.

So, as we can see, We Are Ohio is lying again. But wait, they even go after the Governor, John Kasich. However, Tom Blumer of Bizzyblog is there to prove they are perverting the truth, again! Here are some excerpts:

Here is the relevant text from the source identified in the ad:

Ohio’s unemployment rate was 9.1 percent in August, up slightly from 9.0 percent in July, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 700 over the month, from the revised 5,117,200 in July to 5,116,500 in August.


In fact, Ohio’s economy added seasonally adjusted jobs in January, and continued to add jobs each and every month through July, until losing a “whopping” 700 in August. So far this year, the state’s economy has added 82,300 jobs, the sixth-best performance in the entire nation in terms of percentage of workforce growth. That’s in stark contrast to the 425,000 jobs Ohio’s economy lost during 2007-2009, and the paltry 31,000 it picked up during 2010.

There is no record of “continued job losses” since John Kasich took office. The above statement in the linked anti-Issue 2 ad is a lie.

Sadly, this is one of many self-evident lies, misleading statements and deceptions in the ad, as seen in the follow analysis of its script (referencing screen graphics where necessary):

John Kasich promised to make Ohio great again. [1] But he gave over $100 million of our tax dollars to big corporations. [2] Meanwhile, Ohio continues to lose jobs. [3]

Now Kasich is using Senate Bill 5 to destroy collective-bargaining rights [4] for Ohio workers. [5] (with an on-screen reference to SB5, page 229, 4117.08)

Kasich and other politicians took over $3 million in campaign contributions from corporate special interests [6] who could profit from Senate Bill 5. (on-screen graphic reads “profit from Senate Bill 5″) [7]

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can stop Senate Bill 5 by voting “No” on Issue 2.

Notes:

[1] — Well, over 80,000 jobs added is a start towards “making Ohio great again.” What we’ve seen through August of this year beats the heck out of any full year Ohio has seen since 1999.
[2] — Show me the checks, guys. If you want to argue that Kasich and the state agreed to $100 million in tax breaks, fine. But that’s not what the ad says. It says he GAVE them $100 million in the recent past. It hasn’t happened as described. Therefore, this statement in the ad is a lie.
[3] — This statement has already been shown to be a lie.
[4] — SB5 does not (as implied) “destroy (all) collective-bargaining rights.” Specifically, “All matters pertaining to wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment are subject to collective bargaining between the public employer and the exclusive representative, except as otherwise specified …” After that, numerous items are listed as exceptions, but there are still items subject to collective bargaining. Thus, this portion of the statement is extremely misleading.
[5] — Then there is the reference to “Ohio workers.” The implication is that SB5 affects all Ohio workers. It doesn’t. It only affects unionized Ohio state, county, municipal, and school-district public-sector employees. It does not affect private-sector workers. This portion of the statement is also extremely misleading.
[6] — “And other politicians”? What other politicians? Lefties? Righties? Indies? This is a deliberately inflammatory non-statement which communicates absolutely nothing of substance.
[7] — “Could profit”? Could? Wow, that’s powerful (/sarc). It’s closer to the truth to assert that the vast majority of Ohioans will probably be better off if Senate Bill 5 stays in place, because taxes won’t have to go up, more resources can be dedicated to Ohio’s classrooms, and government entities will have the flexibility to do what they must to keep their costs under control. Note that the gutless graphic omits the word “could,” presumably in the hope that viewers won’t realize how deliberately misleading this statement is.

The ad demonstrates that the WeAreOhio.org folks believe that they can’t win without lying to, misleading and deceiving Ohioans at every step of the way.

Why would such an organization work so much in lies? Well, considering they just give general references to some page in SB5, hoping you don't read it, we see one explanation. They think you are stupid. But, let's follow the money and see who is funding this misrepresentation. From Third Base Politics, we see that union bosses in Washington DC are the lead funders of We Are Ohio, as well as the Union Heads of Ohio unions. Gee, could we be desperate that another Wisconsin could be in the making? So desperate we are going to lie to the people of Ohio? You betcha. Check out the blog post with videos from 3BP.

Quit lying to protect your own skins, people. I thought it was about serving and protecting and educating, not lying to save yourselves.

State Teacher Retirement System Misleading Taxpayers and Teachers...

I am a contributor to the STRS system as a substitute teacher in SW Ohio. These allegations I find very troubling, but not surprising, given that there was a great deal of controversy with STRS and misleading just a few years ago. From the Buckeye Institute:

In response to our report, Taxpayers on the Hook: Taxpayer Contribution Rates for Ohio Government Pensions Outpace National Averages, the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) attacked the Buckeye Institute while conveniently leaving some undeniable facts at the door. By using their own data, reading their own admissions, and even following their own assertions, it is evident that Ohio taxpayers are far from off of the hook when it comes to potentially bailing out the pensions.



Key points:

STRS is plum broke. It possesses only 59 cents for every dollar in liabilities, leaving a $38.7 billion hole;

In its own statements, STRS has pursued an even higher taxpayer contribution rate than the current 14 percent (16.5 percent);

Using STRS' own recommendation of a 16.5 percent taxpayer contribution rate, Ohio would have the 10th highest taxpayer contribution out of 34 states with a teacher's pension system, including those that also pay into Social Security;

Social Security will result in a rate of return of near zero or negative for many "contributors," especially young and new workers;

State employees in Ohio are actually making out by not paying into Social Security;

Most private sector Ohioans can expect a 6.2 percent employer contribution to Social Security and a 4.0 percent 401(k) employer contribution, totaling 10.2 percent. This level is considerably lower than both STRS' current 14 percent and its desired 16.5 percent contribution rate.

Read the whole thing. Apparently, neither teachers or taxpayers are well served by the current system, and much like Social Security, the STRS is not going to be able to live up to its promises to teachers.

DOC: Schools Estimated Savings Under SB5

SchoolsSB5

Mark's Remarks

I, Mark, received this doc at work from sources deep within the bowels of Columbus, per a request I have had on the burner for a while. Note, my fellow Brown Countians, the savings our schools will have to hire MORE teachers, to reduce class size, etc. Note, my dear neighbors in Clermont, the savings your school districts will have to do the same. I would think an organization that represents teachers would be behind such a proposal, to get more teachers into jobs, but that is not what the teachers unions are about, evidently.

Also, to those ticked off with my representative Danny Bubp: this shows he was justified in his vote IN FAVOR OF SB5, with the changes the House made to the bill. Is it perfect? No. But when asked to negotiate, the unions just didn't show. Therefore, this is the best we have and we should go for it. The districts would save so much money that could be used to hire more people, and isn't that good for the kids?

"The Tools They Need" To Save Jobs. Vote Yes on Issue 2

From the Better Ohio campaign in favor of Issue 2:


Matt Hurley had this to say:

Now here is a (former) firefighter who gets it and speaks the truth. The truth is something that the firefighter in the anti-2 ad has a problem with...

Investigative Report: WI Labor Reform Does Save Money and Will Continue to Do So

More proof that what is needed to get financial stability and sanity restored is common sense reform like Ohio's SB5/Issue 2. From Fox11 in Wisconsin:


Regarding WEA Trust: Those folks are full of it. They had a virtual monopoly under the old system. Now, there is actually competition. And guess what? It has made WEA trust get their stuff together and now have more competitive rates and allowing more people into the game.

SB5/Issue 2 Update: Toledo Mayor Supports Issue 2/SB5

More and more city officials are understanding the tough decisions that have to be made. Some have the courage to come out and stand for something. Former fire chief turned Mayor Mike Bell has come out and taken a stand. From the Toledo Blade:

Facing fierce resistance from organized labor as he wrestles to bring Toledo's budget under control, Mayor Mike Bell on Wednesday became Ohio's first major city mayor to officially voice support for a state law limiting the bargaining rights of public employees.

Mayor Bell, a former Ohio fire marshal and Toledo fire chief, made the announcement during a meeting with The Blade's editorial board in which he discussed frustration with the recent reaction of some city employees to a proposed wage freeze and benefit cuts.

"We followed the process, and by following the process we got a protest," Mayor Bell said. "I'm the administrator of a city that is financially-strapped and I need to be able to have the tools in the box [to balance the budget]."

It should be noted Mayor Bell ran as an independent. He is facing harsh criticism in Toledo, but he understands the sad reality. We cannot afford these things anymore. We have to be able to work the budget, not have it held hostage. SB5/Issue 2 will not take away your insurance. It will not do many of the charges from teachers' unions and other public employees. It is common sense reform that can be amended if people will come to the table. But, rather than negotiate, the left engages in vilification and falsehood.

Hat tip to Justin from No Muzzle Politics

SB5 OH vs. Wisconsin: Wisconsin's Budget Working, so Can Ours...

And guess who is winning alot by not being held hostage by the unions? The schools! Check out this report from Gov. Scott Walker:

One month after the 2011-13 state budget was signed into law, tangible results from the reforms put in place by Governor Walker and the Legislature are being realized. According to media reports, local units of government and school districts have already saved more than $220 million, with millions more in potential savings not yet reported.

The state is also adding jobs. Between December 2007 and December 2010, Wisconsin lost over 153,600 private sector jobs. The state has netted over 39,000 new private sector jobs since the Governor called a special session to open Wisconsin for business. The state has seen 14,100 manufacturing jobs created since January. In June Wisconsin had a net job creation of 9,500 new jobs, including nearly 13,000 private sector jobs. Only four states created more private sector jobs than Wisconsin did in the last month.

Below is a sampling of local units of governments being able to balance their budget and improve services due to the reforms contained in the 2011-13 state budget and the budget repair bill:

Ashland School District

A health insurance provider switch saved Ashland School District nearly $378,000.

Reference: http://www.ashlandwi.com/articles/2011/07/18/news/doc4e24f08b80b26580859031.txt

Kimberly School District

The district saved $821,000 by dropping WEA Trust.

Reference: http://maciverinstitute.com/2011/07/wisconsin-school-districts-are-switching-health-care-providersplans-to-create-savings-in-2011/

Edgerton School District

The district will drop the union's current health insurance carrier, the WEA Trust. The district is gathering bids to change to a different health insurance provider, which Pauli said could save at least $500,000 over the next year.

Reference:

http://gazettextra.com/news/2011/mar/15/edgerton-reaches-teacher-contract/

Baraboo School District

The Baraboo School Board expects to save about $660,000 next year after deciding to change insurance providers Monday evening.

Reference: https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:24830.9327959424/rid:4f6670a3bc5ed1258448c884029069d8

Dodgeland School District

The Dodgeland School Board made the decision to change insurance companies.

Administrator Annette Thompson said the change will help the board deal with the expected $640,000 budget deficit from reduced state aid and expiration of some federal and AARA funds. The change in providers is expected to save the district $260,000 next year.

Reference: http://www.wiscnews.com/bdc/news/local/article_a5dddeb8-b412-11e0-949a-001cc4c03286.html

Elmbrook School District

The district originally had planned for $780,000 in savings through the health-care changes, but Brightman said the actual savings are estimated at $878,000. He said some of that money likely will be needed to pay for staffing - probably a half-time equivalent clerical position - to administer the new plan.

Reference: http://www.brookfieldnow.com/news/125863413.html

Mequon-Thiensville School District

Delta Dental's quotes also came in lower than those provided by WEA Trust. Beaudry said the district will save $49,000 in the 2011-12 budget cycle by switching to Delta Dental.

Reference: http://www.mequonnow.com/news/125861078.html

Marshfield School District

Marshfield will balance its budget despite the cuts. "Given the cost savings with health insurance and the turnover with staff and new hires, we will be able to preserve our programs and come up with a balanced budget," said Peg Geegan, the district's director of instruction who will assume the superintendent's position Aug. 1. The district will save $850,000 by switching health insurance carriers…

Reference: http://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/article/20110706/MNH0101/107060599/State-aid-Marshfield-schools-down-2-4-million?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE

Fond du Lac School District

District leaders believe when school starts in the fall they'll be operating with a balanced budget. They say the savings under the bill will offset their 4.4 million dollar budget shortfall. Class sizes and programs will also remain in tact.

References:

http://www.nbc26.com/news/local/126364503.html and http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20110728/FON0101/110727143/FdL-School-District-expects-balanced-budget

City of Sheboygan and Sheboygan County

City of Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan and Sheboygan County Administrator Adam Payne said the collective bargaining reforms will provide enough savings to make up for the reductions in state aid. "We were able to lock in savings and certainty due to the discussions going on in Madison," Payne said.

Reference: http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20110629/SHE0101/306290007/Special-Report-s-new-world-public-employee-pay?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|SHE-News

Wauwatosa School District

The tax levy is projected to decrease, no programs will be cut, and class sizes won’t increase by any significant measure. School board member Phil Kroner: "When students come to school in the fall, they're going to see the same things, have the same teachers, and they're going to see new things as well.

Reference: http://wauwatosa.patch.com/articles/school-board-quietly-passes-budget-based-on-sacrifice

Manitowoc

Laid-off city workers may get their jobs back after the city moves forward with the wage and benefit reforms contained in the budget. And Overtime rules have changed saving the county $100,000.

References: http://www.htrnews.com/article/20110706/MAN0101/107060474/Some-laid-off-city-workers-rehired-month?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE and http://www.htrnews.com/article/20110720/MAN0101/107200527/Overtime-rules-changed-Manitowoc-County-employees?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE

Pittsville

They will see up to a 9% decrease in the school portion of their property tax levy. "It will be wonderful for our taxpayers, who have been extremely committed to our schools," School Board President Julie Strenn said, noting three years ago, voters approved a three-year revenue cap override that cost taxpayers an additional $175,000 each year… "This is the first year we have not needed to short-term borrow.”

Reference: http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20110615/WRT0101/106150626/Pittsville-Schools-OK-preliminary-budget?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE

Neenah

Paul Hauffe, director of business services said, “administrators are poised to introduce a balanced budget in mid-July… We're very close right now, there's nothing monumental that we have to overcome."

Reference: http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110706/APC0902/107060619/Neenah-settles-teachers-amid-collective-bargaining-changes

Appleton Area School District

They will save $3.1 million just in health insurance costs alone due to competition among health insurance providers. Financial advisors for the school district said:

· Discussions at the state level over collective bargaining and budgeting issues have been beneficial to school districts from the rate perspective.

· It forced a lot of competition. I do think the landscape in the school marketplace has changed significantly over the last year that's put significant pressure on WEA Trust. Previously to this year, they didn't have a lot of competition. Historically, it's very difficult for other carriers to match them.

· The $3.1 million in savings for next school year is just in health insurance premium costs.

Reference: http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110622/APC0101/106220521/Appleton-schools-retains-WEA-Trust-insurance?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|APC-News

So, school districts are saving money. Employees are getting better deals for their dollars...and it sounds like some teachers may keep their jobs and some may get rehired. Gee, doesn't that sound wonderful? It could happen here in Ohio, too, if people would stop believing the OEA/NEA hype and just sprinkle in some common sense.