Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Guest Column from State Representative Jim Buchy: Working Together to Bring Jobs, Issue 2 is Key to the New Direction

Lately, I have noticed a few people in the district speaking about Issue 2, collective bargaining reform for government employees, as if they had all the facts. Unfortunately, the claims made and printed in local newspapers by these individuals are not the facts. A YES on Issue 2 means jobs, and a NO means status quo.

Issue 2 will lower the cost of doing business in this state by providing local governments and the state the ability to rein in labor cost which is the highest cost to any government employer. The other side wants things to stay the way they are. According to Rich States, Poor States, Ohio is 49th in economic performance rank. Our tax structure and policies are costing this state economic productivity. We must make changes to the way we function as a state. There are two choices: make changes and move forward, or continue down the same path in a rut that causes productive and promising people to flee the state and jobs to leave. I supported collective bargaining reform in the legislature because I went to Columbus to do a job; I want to turn this state around.

In the letters to the editor recently, Governor Kasich and the pro-jobs side was accused of being weak by wanting to negotiate with the unions. Throughout the collective bargaining reform process we have invited the unions to the table. We want their input and partnership in this opportunity to turn Ohio in the right direction. The OEA has not come to the table, and many of the unions refused to offer suggestions on how to correct the language. During the process I held three public forums in the district. I listened to the residents and government employees, and I then brought those suggestions back to the legislature. Those suggestions were a key part of making SB 5 a good bill. It is natural that leaders would remain open to discussion with the unions and avoid a political battle in November that will cost each side 40 million dollars and fill your mailboxes and consume your televisions.

Issue 2 is about jobs, and bringing this state in the right direction. I am confident I am on the right side of this issue. Despite what you may read from the other side, many Ohioans understand the consequences of the status quo. In November, I will be voting YES for jobs, YES for Issue 2. That is the right direction and that is how we will move Ohio forward.

21 comments:

  1. Mr. Buchy, I must respectfully disagree that you are on the right side of this issue. We cannot create more jobs by simply cutting the wages and benefits of our police, fire etc. For over two thousand years it has been written to not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the grain. That hasn't changed with the appearance of Wall Street.

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  2. I am a member of a union and strongly oppose SB 5. All this bill is going to do is cause those effected by it to cost more out of their budget. When I hear the governor compare us to private workers, my blood boils. We are professionals. We went to college and continue going to college. We have more expenses now for our classroom then ever due to the budget cuts to education. The governor didn't want to listen to us back in the spring. He basically said this is how its going to be, there were no discussions or willing to discuss. Why doesn't the governor just throw it out and sit down with those effected and discuss the needs and options for both the state and public workers.

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  3. I got an email from a teacher from Wisconsin where the bill to limit bargaining has passed. On the first day of school the teachers were informed of all the changes --from having 40 students in the class to no more holiday pay. Many private workers get holiday pay. Since they could not bargain over all the changes they were told to either accept it or go elsewhere. I will be voting no on Issue 2 because I feel its for the best of the American worker.

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  4. Rep. Buchy,
    You have cast Darke County's vote in favor of Senate Bill 5 and against working professionals and people. Why won't you say what you mean? Your "ability to rein in labor cost" is simply the ability to cut wages and benefits. You also voted in favor of House Bill 194 which is an attempt to keep people from voting. Voters should pick the politicians not politicians pick the voters. We are beginning to see a very clear pattern with you.

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  5. Kasich did offer to sit down with the unions - just last week - and nobody showed up.

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  6. Hogwash Jim, and shame on you, SB5 is nothing more than an attack on public safety forces and teachers.
    I have never seen you or any other Rep. at 0230 when it is -10, or in a in a blinding snowstorm out and I am on a call, Never seen you it was 100 and I am getting all my heavy gear on to go on another call.
    I get forced into overtime with little or no advance notice, we have no say in work hours, I sometimes work 80 hours in a week.
    I work weekends, holidays, nights, birthdays etc., I have missed endless family holidays and my childrens plays, ballgames etc.
    We give a lot and when we tried to explain that to you we got told we were being lied to.
    Our families and friends see what we endure, too bad you didn't listen to us.
    You and your cronies really misjudged public opinion on this bill.
    We are going to repeal it.

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  7. anonymous 4:41, what makes you anty better then other professionals thaqt went to college and continue to go to college and have work related exspenses, union workers are not the only people with problems. The unions have been given way too much power.

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  8. To 6:03 pm--yes now the governor wants to talk after we collected more than what was needed signatures to get the bill repealed. But when we wanted to talk back in March, no way, it was his way and his way only!The Middle class is quickly disappearing in this country and we are all becoming the working poor while those in our state house continue to pass laws that has no or little effect on them. Limiting the amount of time one can vote prior to an election is another stupid idea our wonderful congress people passed. It will only cause long lines and frustration on election days. They encourage you to vote then turn around and make it more difficult to do so.I can't wait for election day when some of those who voted for SB 5 are up for re-election.

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  9. 11:23 ... I'm glad the union bosses are spending tens of millions of dollars on this SB5 fight. And I'm glad for all the millions already spent in vain on pickets and recalls, etc. in Wisconsin. All that money has been taken out of play for the big prize next year. We think if you spend a ton of money on SB5 you might just win. Go for it.

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  10. The word "jobs" gets pulled out and dusted off whenever a politician wants to sell something that is anti American. Jobs are scarce and economists agree that situation will remain the same. There is no magic bullet to bring jobs to any state. It is very un-American to squelched the rights of citizens.

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  11. Too lazy to work. Too nervous to steal. Be a teacher or a cop.

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  12. Notice: A ceremony and parade will be held on Sunday, Sept. 11th at 2:00 PM at the Darke County Courthouse to honor those heroes who lost their lives and the other heroes who continue to make sacrifices to protect citizens and preserve freedom. The Master of Ceremonies will be Rep. Jim Buchy who is now fighting hard to slash the wages and fringe benefits of these heroes.

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  13. Here is a novel idea. Lets just unionize every job in America. We'll all be paying each others salary with our tax dollars so nobody will able to complain about anything. We're rich!

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  14. The union didn't make these people heros

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  15. With all due respect Mr. Buchy, you will follow your party's ill-fated ideas to the cliff and jump in the sea like the other lemmings. Maybe new ideas just can't germinate in old soil.

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  16. Isn't anonimity great? You can say whatever you like and get away with it, so long as no one can prove it is you.

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  17. I know this will not bring new jobs the employer all ready have several grants to hire by the NEG grant and are not using it. WelfarE for the employers, don't say it is the Unions. I think the employers are just keeping the money in their pockets. Not Union, teacher's. What skills do you have for these jobs????

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  18. I would like to see Buchy replaced as the speaker, that is pretty short sighted by the organizers.

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  19. Hi I'm hackjob, I will do your work for you! Maybe I'll fix your house and a brick will fall on your head Mr.Kasich or Mr.Buchy. Sorry that is what you paid for!

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  20. anonymous 10:54, just because you're union doesn't mean you do better work, you just have somebody to cover your butt when you screw up.

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  21. This issue has little to do with actual unions, but rather the right to free speech. A person who goes on strike, union or non-union, is exercising the right to say "no". I understand what the governor is trying to do, but the actual cause of S.B.5 is the increasing lack of buying power from tax revenue, caused by the debasement of the currency. This debasement is massive, with the dollar losing 40% of its buying power since 2000. This is due to the federal government spending far worse than a drunken sailor, and a Federal Reserve (that is actually private and does not answer to Congress) printing trillions in funny money to cover the cost of the insane spending. If there was sound money, backed by silver and/or gold as mandated by the constitution, we would not even be having this discussion.

    Unless there is sound money, there will be continuing inflation at an ever increasing rate. This is no different than Germany in the 1930's, and this disagreement over S.B.5 will seem like a party compared to what will be coming up. Our elected officials need to act upon the cause of the problem, rather than getting caught up in the over all meaningless attempt to work around it.

    I cannot vote in favor of S.B.5, as it attacks the freedom of speech. The correction may be for Ohio to issue a gold or silver backed competing currency or bearer bond, since our federal elected members refuse to act responsibly. Such a bearer bond would then be exempt from the inflation that we now see, and unions as well as non-unions and local governments would be guaranteed the value of their income. As a side note, such an action by Ohio would draw massive influx of people and capital into the State. A tandem step would be to audit the Federal Reserve.

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