Letter to the Editor

CIR reform needed

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Dear Editor,

I was reading the comments in the opinion in Wednesday's paper from the Statehouse Correspondent on CIR reform. I couldn't help but be a little bristled at his remarks concerning one of the many CIR reform bills introduced to the legislature as "draconian."

Not exactly a non-biased opinion of Sen. John Nelson's bill to repeal the CIR completely. If I didn't know what that bill contained already I would be led to believe it would be a bill I really wouldn't want. That is not the case for me.

It wasn't that long ago that I did not even know what the CIR was, nor cared for that matter. That was until our nation started unraveling at the financial seams and I started getting involved with what is going on in our state. That is why I would like to explain why I think Nebraska needs CIR reform. I will put it in simple terms how I see it.

You have labor unions that represent the public sector employees. You have the state (taxpayers) which pays the employees, then you have the CIR a non-elected body that tells the state how much is enough and sues the state to enforce it.

Of course, there is the whole collective bargaining process in between. So what you have is the CIR, which has the power over the state and taxpayer who pay the employees' wages instead of a taxpayer-represented elected official dictating how we spend the money.

Many of you may have noticed that Sen. Johanns stated he wanted to unionize all public safety employees for the so-called excuse that they won't be able to strike in return. I wonder if Labor unions have influenced that recommendation. Let's face it, like the air traffic controllers did in Reagan's time, so can anyone else if they choose to. If we threaten CIR elimination, we risk walk outs and strikes or slow downs. So how does the state fix the problem they created?

Many know it must be done, so legislators begin the first time since 1969 to address the CIR "problem" and roll out their prospective attempts, from band aides to full repeal.

LB 482 -- Sen. Utter Dist 33 -Only deals with cities, no counties or school boards.

LB 623 -- Sen. Lautenbaugh Dist 18- Repeals only metropolitan class (Lincoln)

LB 619 -- Sen. Larson Dist 40- School boards only

LB 397 -- Sen. lathrop Dist 12- A shell bill favoring labor, not business

LB 564 -- Sen. Fulton Dist 29- Takes power from CIR, if collective bargaining fails it goes back to where it started.

LB664 & 29CA Sen. John Nelson Dist 6 -- Full repeal and prohibits collective bargaining.

It is in the best interest of all Nebraskans to reform the CIR, including those employed in the labor unions. What good does a pension plan do you if the state goes bankrupt?

It is also a threat to our nation for sovereign states to be asked to bail out other sovereign states' pensions and budgets. It must be dealt with. We already know the unions heads will start to turn in circles at the mention of their fang teeth being pulled, but pull we must. We already know that unions buy our representatives' favor over the taxpayer. So Nebraskans my question is how long do we let them do this?

I am going for the full "draconian" bill of Senator John Nelson and hoping we get at least Sen. Fultons'.

Jerie Quinty

McCook, Nebraska

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