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Letters to the editor - Nov. 13 - VOP - Ohio.com
One of the best letters I have seen on the election last week in Ohio regarding public unions.
- Published: November 13, 2011 - 06:31 AM <!-- End of Background Image --><!-- Story goes here-->
Congratulations, Ohioans! We have now made these things very clear:
1. Our state and local communities will continue to struggle financially. We simply cannot afford the services we want at the prices demanded by our public “servants.” Expect reduced services, layoffs and ugly reactions from both the public and the unions. It is fantasy to believe that unions will give up any meaningful benefits in order to help improve our finances. Higher taxes are the only solution, right?
2. We have learned that only labor unions can determine safe practices and staffing levels for our hospitals, fire departments, police forces and schools. Our elected and appointed managers are simply incompetent in this regard. The unions must protect us from ourselves.
3. The middle class in Ohio consists only of unionized public employees. We know this because we were told that Senate Bill 5 would “destroy the middle class” in Ohio. Well, that bill would have limited the bargaining rights only of public employees. Federal employees have fewer bargaining rights than do Ohio’s public employees, Does anyone believe they are less than middle class?
This election seems to have put to rest the notion that the cost of government employees has something to do with whether the government can pay its bills.
Robert Umbarger
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