Will governor, legislature work for people of Oregon, or bow to unions?
An excellent opinion piece was recently published, it made some important points:
1. “With two years left in office, he [Kulongoski] is simultaneously seeking to create a legacy, endear himself to the union workers who have generously supported him (and he in return), and at the same time balance a budget that he once anticipated would be fueled by a rebounding economy.”
2. “He is probably also aware that while his political party has a lock on both houses of the legislature and every single statewide elected office, if things get really out of hand, there is nowhere to look for blame but in the mirror. Seeking to attach any blame to the Republicans would be futile. There aren’t enough of them around Salem to cause him any grief.”
3. “Kulongoski, is also probably regretting his largesse in terms of recent salary raises, particularly those granted department heads.”
4. “The governor, like his cadre of legislators, were gifted millions of dollars in campaign funds by the public employee unions. That figure is somewhere around $9 million, according to The Oregonian. In return, they have expectations and those expectations aren’t focused on programs for the elderly, highways, prisons, or transportation. According to the unions, those big issues include collective bargaining rights, higher salaries for state workers, more individuals on the state payroll, and paid family leave.”
For more information about Kulongoski’s tax increases see
The Double Talk of Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski
Kulongoski Proposes Raising More Fees
Send An Email: Stop the Tax Hikes
and
Kulongoski to increase taxes by $176 per year
We must wait and see the answer to the question: “will governor, legislature work for people of Oregon, or bow to unions?”
