Illinois politicians weaken local control
About three weeks ago, we sounded a warning about House Bill 5485, which would allow arbitrators to set minimum staffing levels in fire departments throughout Illinois. Since then, news outlets throughout Illinois have been taking note of this bill, pointing out to readers that it would take Illinois in the wrong direction by making unions...
About three weeks ago, we sounded a warning about House Bill 5485, which would allow arbitrators to set minimum staffing levels in fire departments throughout Illinois. Since then, news outlets throughout Illinois have been taking note of this bill, pointing out to readers that it would take Illinois in the wrong direction by making unions more powerful – and government more expensive.
- Columnist Jim Dey, writing in the Champaign-Urbana News Gazette, passed along warnings from local officials that minimum staffing levels can drive up the cost of fire departments, and that they should not be forced on communities that do not want them.
- Decatur Mayor Mike McElroy says “Our state government shouldn’t be giving representative unions the power to come in and run what’s going to happen to the city.”
- Springfield radio station WTAX is reporting on the controversial bill that could force communities into cutting off important services, such as public lighting, and undermines local control of government.
- The Lake County News-Sun reports that Lake Forest officials are worried about how the bill would affect their local budgets.
- And the Belleville News Democrat has written an editorial strongly opposing HB 5485 because “[o]fficials elected by the people, not arbitrators, should decide how firehouses are staffed.”
States throughout the Midwest are recognizing that the path to prosperity starts with paring back union power and making government more cost effective, but HB 5485 would actually entrench union power further. Here’s hoping that more reporters take a close look at this bill, and pass along the warnings of mayors throughout Illinois.
The Belleville News-Democrat was right to raise a warning about HB 5485, because it would allow arbitrators to set minimum staffing levels in fire departments throughout Illinois. Local officials ought to decide how firefighters are deployed.
Allowing arbitrators to set wages and manpower means that taxpayers can be hit by a double-whammy, with unions demanding big pay increases and high staffing levels. Unions can make even more outrageous demands when they know that if they don’t like the response they hear from local officials, they can turn to an arbitrator to get what they want. Taxpayers, on the other hand, have to put up with cuts in other services or watch their taxes go higher.
Many communities in Illinois are struggling with high labor costs, including Belleville – the city’s firefighter pensions are only 40 percent funded, and its police pension fund has just over half the funds it needs.
Illinois needs to change direction.
State lawmakers should be looking at the example of Wisconsin. That state overhauled its labor laws and reined in union power, and as a result the cost of government went down. Throughout Wisconsin, state and local officials were able to preserve important programs at a lower cost. State and local budgets are balanced, and the state is able to offer Wisconsinites tax relief.
If union officials are worried about protecting jobs, they can learn to make fewer demands. Local officials shouldn’t need to ask unions or arbitrators for permission to make the best use of taxpayer dollars.
