2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes television terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

Thank for hosting the discussion addressing the tension between demand for public services and our ability to pay for them.  Unfortunately, a critical conversation was devoid of much substantive information.  The business representative offered nothing more than platitudes and while more prepared, Mr. Towers hardly presented the realities of the current budget with honest numbers and candor.  These are tough times and quantifiable facts need to drive common ground solutions.  If it's true that 60% of union members makes +/- $40K, what does the other 40% make and what % of the total budget do their salaries and benefits makes up?  SEIU is not the only public employee union -- in aggregate how do we stack up?  Is it true that we are #1 to #3 in the nation in wages/benefits for employers?  We are among tops in unemployment?  OBA offered no real ideas about job creation and SEIU seems to believe that there is a limitless ATM for legitimate services - but we can't make decisions based on heart rending stories.  I hope the next Governor and legislative session forces an honest debate that picks up the reset committee's work in earnest.  I'm not optimistic based on Deckert's palpable trembling to even take on SEIU's unsustainable view on state expenditures.

posted 2 years, 9 months ago
view in context