The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday placed three complicated measures on the Nov. 2 ballot that could help determine how county employees are compensated -- and the cost to taxpayers. Just below the surface of the three densely worded initiatives lies a bitter battle between county officials and the unions representing attorneys, nurses and correctional officers. The unions want to boost their power at the bargaining table with a new rule that would allow an independent arbitrator to settle contract disputes. They succeeded recently in collecting 59,000 signatures, which is far more than the 42,000 needed to...
