Local government spends money without public input

There’s something that’s not in the public interest and its going on all over Thurston County.   It’s the expenditure of public money without any public participation.

It’s union negotiations.

All over this county, in city after city, in regional boards and public agencies, money is being spent and contracts agreed upon without any public involvement.

Local governments negotiate contracts concerning salaries and benefits which spend taxpayer money.   The taxpayers have no say.

Government unions, those working for government agencies think they’re like ever other private union – – but they’re not.

Their employer is not the city or the county or the school district, but the taxpayers, the people who have to pay the bills.

City negotiators go into private negotiations without any input from the public.  They spend public money without any type of hearing.  They agree behind closed doors.  The public be damned.

Government unions should not have the same bargaining rights as private industry unions.  Taxpayer money is sacred.  It shouldn’t be spent without public input.

There are many ways to handle this situation.   First, the right to bargain for salary and benefits could be removed from government unions.

Second – – a private citizen (or two) could be included in the bargaining session.

Third – a public meeting could be called before any union contracts are ratified.

Fourth – All bargaining should be done in public.  (This is the one I favor.)

Spending public money without public input is illegal.  Someday, someone, is going to take these phoney bargaining sessions to court.