Posted on 02/13/2021 10:04:32 AM PST by karpov
As part of his proposed $1.9 trillion relief bill, President Biden wants to send $350 billion in unrestricted cash to state and local governments to fill their budget holes. But while Covid-19 has depressed state tax revenue, the prospect of federal aid has encouraged many of these supposedly blameless states to keep piling on costs. Nowhere has that been more evident than with the pay raises dished out in recent months to government employees. As private businesses hold on by their fingernails, public-sector labor unions have their hands out, demanding the pay raises set forth in labor contracts negotiated before the pandemic ravaged public finances.
In Connecticut, where unemployment was 8% in December after topping 10% this summer, state workers have pocketed two rounds of raises: a 3.5% bump in July and another worth about 2% earlier this month. Gov. Ned Lamont had initially suggested postponing the raises—“to lead by example”—but the labor union 1199 SEIU blitzed the airwaves with television commercials accusing unnamed politicians of wanting to “take away” their wages. Mr. Lamont folded.
In December, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan let planned 2% raises continue, claiming revenues “have improved enough for us to be able to fulfill our commitments to state employees.” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo used special powers to postpone certain planned hikes for state employees. But Mr. Cuomo has indicated he’ll use federal aid to pay those raises retroactively, and let others continue outright. Most New York school districts went ahead with raises this summer.
Automatic pay increases regardless of economic conditions are an unimaginable proposition in the private economy. Many government employees collected their full pay and benefits while not working during the spring 2020 lockdowns. The pandemic has laid bare a fundamental problem with public-sector collective bargaining:
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Sadly there is a fire wall and I cannot read the entire story. Do they make a case for unrestricted third world immigration like they usually do?
Will $350 bil be enough for the blue state governors to disappear into their personal accounts.
“We’re all in this together.”
I didn’t qualify for any relief. I’m still trying to see what welfare i can get if I just renounce my citizenship and become a self identified illegal alien woman from Honduras.
Likely to shore up a lot of those very generous pensions that they’ve ‘earned’.
Rd later.
Glad they’re covering this.
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