Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

June 19, 2015 Broadcast – Unions v. Taxpayers

It’s been 14 years since my term on Cincinnati City Council and some things never change. I’m talking about the fight between protecting taxpayers versus caving into organized labor. Take it from me;the taxpayers get hosed every time.

Here’s something you didn’t know. City council needs to decide whether private employees or unionized public workers should operate Cincinnati’s streetcar. But the union option costs $700,000 a year more, along with additional funds to train the union guys to maintain the trolley.

Mayor Cranley likes to talk tough about keeping costs down, but when it comes to pleasing unions, no price is too high. He and other Democrats throw out sound bites about fair wages and benefits, but as I learned in my days at City Hall, these politicians only care about one thing – big labor’s support at election time.