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June 29, 2009National/PoliticalAnalysis: Obama shows flexibility on health care The reversals, hints of concessions and politically dicey proposals on health care are piling up for President Barack Obama, whose appeal for bipartisan legislation carries risk with no guarantee of reward. .. Gerald W. McEntee, president of the 1.6 million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said members of the union "are not going to tolerate that." Obama is "a person of his word," he added pointedly, referring to the campaign promises. Any tax on health care benefits would violate two campaign pledges. Unionists demand universal health care at DC rally ... AFSCME President Gerry McEntee also warned the crowd about the controversy over paying the nation’s health care bill. Congressional panels are wrestling with an estimated $1 trillion cost to overhaul health care. Health care consumes $2.5 trillion, one-sixth of overall U.S. output. Some 20% — at least—of that health care cost goes for insurers’ overhead, profits and paperwork. Time for Iron Man .. Max Baucus, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has done everything short of making ethanol a reimbursable prescription drug to win the heart of his good Republican friend from Iowa, Chuck Grassley. I'm told that Grassley, under immense pressure from Republican colleagues not to deal at all, has informed Baucus that he cannot sign on to a bill if it is supported by only one other Republican, the sensible Olympia Snowe of Maine. Grassley needs more cover from more conservative colleagues. ... The Democrats' allies in the unions are prepared to go to war if Obama backs off this pledge. The unions argue plausibly that their members gave up wages in exchange for high-end health plans and that reform should not leave financially pressed middle class workers worse off. Axelrod Won't Rule Out Tax Increase President Obama's top political adviser refused today to rule out the possibility that the White House might agree to a tax hike on health insurance plans that would hit middle-income Americans. Speaking on ABC's "This Week" program, David Axelrod declined to repeat Obama's "firm pledge" during the campaign that families making under $250,000 will not see "any form of tax increase, not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes." Fighting Like Hell for Healthcare Now At Upper Senate Park on the grounds of the US Capitol yesterday, on a hot, humid DC summer day, 10,000 people from across the country rallied for healthcare reform with a real public option. .. It was a vibrant crowd, showing the colors of unions that turned out in force: CWA red, UFCW yellow, AFSCME green, SEIU purple, LiUNA orange, IBEW lime, and SIU blue. Health Insurance: Can you afford it? Stuttgart, Ark. - Health insurance premiums in Arkansas rose 66 percent between 2000 and 2007, according to a report released by the Arkansas Health Care for America Now coalition. .. “The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees believe that there should be a public plan that can compete with private health insurance,” Justin Nickles, Political Action and Advocacy Coordinator for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Council 38, said. Editorial: Insurance Company Schemes ... Competition from a new public plan could provide a benchmark for judging how well private plans are performing. And clear evaluations of both public and private plans would be a boon for consumers. Senator Jay Rockefeller has proposed creating a nonprofit organization to grade all plans offered on a national exchange based on such factors as adequacy of coverage, affordability, customer and health provider satisfaction, and transparency of procedures and decision-making. Liberal group ads lack context in push for public health plan Health Care for America Now, a coalition that includes liberal and union groups, is on the airwaves with an ad that offers an idyllic look at what a public health insurance plan might mean. HCAN's ad started airing on June 19 and will run for 10 days in 10 states: Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington. Liberal activists fret over public option for healthcare Liberal activists are concerned that Congress will leave out what they see as the most important element of healthcare reform: a government-backed insurance program. .. “I’m very concerned that Congress is missing the boat here,” said Richard Kirsch, national campaign director of Health Care for America Now (HCAN), an umbrella group of labor unions and other liberal organizations. Related articles:
Tracking the recession: Budget deadline looms Nearing the Wednesday (July 1) start of a new fiscal year, several states still are struggling to cover substantial budget gaps that will leave governors and legislators no choice but to cut spending and or raise taxes and fees. States Consider Gas and Oil Levies Cash-strapped states are considering raising taxes on oil production to plug yawning budget gaps, but they face strong resistance from oil companies, which warn the moves could lead to lost jobs and higher energy prices. HUD joins Recovery Act mapping effort Another department has joined the effort to track stimulus spending. The Housing and Urban Development department will upload information on its use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars to a geospatial Web tool available to the public, according to HUD officials. GASB proposes bankruptcy accounting rule GASB today issued an exposure draft of a proposed accounting rule that would affect pension plans, retiree medical care plans and other post-employment benefit plans of governments in Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection. Bill would extend benefits to paramedics' families Vermont's two U.S. senators are sponsoring legislation that would extend death benefits to relatives of paramedics who work for non-profit ambulance services and are killed in the line of duty. ... The bill would extend the benefits to employees of non-profits, affecting about 20,000 EMS workers nationally. It would also provide benefits to workers disabled on the job. State/LocalCounty board begins process to sell Lancaster Manor The Lancaster County Board voted Thursday to begin negotiations to sell Lancaster Manor two days after nearly 175 employees, family members and others urged the board not to sell the county-owned nursing home. ... Kim Kaspar, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said she also felt hiring an administrator — combined with the work employees were doing — would sustain the manor. Assembly passes budget; measure goes to Doyle The Legislature on Friday sent Gov. Jim Doyle a budget that closes the biggest deficit in state history with tax increases, federal stimulus cash, aid cuts for schools and local governments, and furloughs of workers. Milwaukee County furloughs can start Monday, judge rules Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has the right to shorten the workweek for county workers to 35 hours to help the county cope with its financial problems, Reserve Judge Dennis J. Flynn said in a decision issued Friday. .. Milwaukee County District Council 48 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees challenged Walker's order for the shorter workweek both in court and with a grievance to be decided by the arbitrator. Union is struggling to reach agreement JEFFERSON - The membership of the Jefferson County Courthouse bargaining unit on Thursday evening voted to reject a tentative agreement to forgo wage increases for 2010. According to Bill Moberly, who represents the union, there were two questions before the membership, the first being whether or not its members would be willing to forgo the 2010 wage increases for all AFSCME bargaining units provided the county agreed to no layoffs for 2010. Union doesn't 'look kindly on concessions' ... "We do not look kindly on concessions. But we are willing to sit down and try to find other ways to save money," said Mike Jefferson, a staff representative for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, which represents about 125 Peoria County employees. Alton offering early retirement in order to cut budget ALTON - Some city employees may lose their jobs if enough co-workers refuse a retirement incentive in coming weeks. .. City employees who retire still can keep Alton's health insurance. If four or five members each from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 or the Teamsters Local 525 don't take the offer - which involves unspecified incentives - Hoechst said he would lay off some city workers. Residents, staff, families rally to keep Howe open Shirl Walters Toliver doesn't like to think about what would happen to her son Roosevelt if the Howe Developmental Center were to close. But she has to. Gov. Pat Quinn is expected later this month to decide whether to close or keep open the Howe Center and the Tinley Park Mental Health Center in Tinley Park. Closing the facilities would displace some 350 developmentally disabled residents and leave some 900 members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 without jobs City Of Tulsa Spending Audit An audit of Tulsa’s city budget may point to more problems ahead. Last night FOX23 told you about the agreement between city leaders and union members to cut costs after months of negotiations. AFSCME president Bill Roland along with the police and firefighter union presidents came to an agreement with city leaders concerning budget cuts in those departments. Some will take 8 furlough days or cuts in benefits... Wait times climb at the DMV; Northern Nevada, you’re next ... Any complaints about the likelihood of longer lines irks the head of the state workers union. “If you want smaller government, you’re going to have to take a half-day off of work to register your car,” said Dennis Mallory, head of the state chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. “You can’t cut government, advocate for lower taxes and expect to walk in and out of the DMV in half an hour. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” Lingle critical of Maui lawmakers ... Not far from Lingle's mind on Friday was her three-days-per-month furlough plan of state workers to help offset most of a projected $730 million state revenue shortfall through June 2011. The furloughs begin next month, although the plan is being fought in court by the Hawaii Government Employees Association, United Public Workers and the Hawaii State Teachers Association unions. The forced unpaid days off could impact 15,600 state workers who are under the direct control of the governor. Tentative deal reached with Warren union WARREN - A tentative agreement on concessions was reached Friday between the city and members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2501. The union represents 23 employees who are considered ''middle management,'' including Community Development Director Michael Keys, Environmental Services Director Renee Cicero, Packard Music Hall Director Chris Stephenson, Engineering Director Bill Totten and building official Chris Tanneyhill, as well as some department supervisors and data processing personnel. Amherst schools support staff have new contract Nonteaching staff at Amherst schools have agreed to forego pay raises in the first year of a new three-year contract, according to school Superintendent Steve Sayers. There is a reopener clause to discuss raises after the first year, he said. The school board approved the new contract yesterday. The contract with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 208 covers roughly 125 support staff employees, such as secretaries, bus drivers, custodians and aides, Sayers said. PSEA and city finish negotiations, sign new contracts The last contract negotiations between the Public Safety Employees Association and the city took almost three years to complete. The new contract negotiation took almost two days and was officially approved by the city council Tuesday night. Council member Dick Peck said he was extraordinarily pleased with the process and the outcome. Public safety union president Jennifer Shockley agreed. Governor threatens to furlough workers 3rd day ... "This is absolutely ridiculous. The governor has made us into budget scapegoats," said Nancy Swindell, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees AFL-CIO Local 2620 that represents 5,000 state health and social services workers. AFSCME says third furlough day a 'buzz cut' This just in from the American Federation of State, County and Municiple Employees Local 2620, which has about 5,000 state workers now affected by furloughs: For Immediate Release .. The following statement is a response from Nancy Swindell, President AFSCME 2620: "Gov. Schwarzenegger says state workers need to take a 'haircut,' but a 14% pay cut is more like a buzz cut. It's time Gov. Schwarzenegger stop searching for budget scapegoats and start looking for real budget solutions." Caregivers plead with supervisors County leaders got a first-hand look at who could be affected by proposed state and local budget cuts as a dozen providers and recipients of In Home Supportive Services — some in wheelchairs — asked the Board of Supervisors last week not to reduce caregivers’ pay. .. The county is in negotiations with the United Domestic Workers of America on a contract with caregivers that expires June 30. The federal government pays half the cost, the state one-third and the county 17 percent. City Council OKs early retirement deal despite opposition The Los Angeles City Council voted this afternoon to move ahead with a plan to give early retirement to 2,400 employees while postponing raises for another 22,000, in hopes of balancing the budget without laying off workers or closing City Hall two days a month. BART, largest unions extend contracts to July 9 BART and two of its three largest unions have agreed to extend their labor contracts through July 9 at midnight, and the president of a third union said she expected to sign a similar extension no later than this morning. ... For example, a proposal for trimming the cost of sick leave was on the table one day and then eliminated the next, said Jean Hamilton, president of Local 3993 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents about 200 supervisors and professionals. Assembly Democrats OK budget package / Measure passes in a rare Sunday night session without GOP votes. A veto is expected. Democratic leaders in the state Assembly, frustrated by the refusal of Republicans to support tax hikes to help balance the state budget, pushed through a proposal Sunday night that uses a series of legal maneuvers to put higher levies in place without any GOP votes. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vowed to veto any budget package that includes tax increases, and he vetoed a budget last winter that contained a similar tax ploy. Council to debate keeping health benefits As city employees cope with 9 percent wage cuts and an uncertain future, two city council members are jockeying to show they also know how to sacrifice. ... Union officials like Tina Acree - the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 101 business agent who represents most of City Hall - and the Police Officers' Association President Mitch Madruga have chastised the council for not making cuts commensurate with the unions', even though the part-time body makes a tiny fraction of what union employees take home each year. Pa. budget crisis evokes memories of '91 standoff ... As of now, it appears likely that Pennsylvania will end its fiscal year at midnight Tuesday without a budget in place, a recurring theme since Gov. Ed Rendell took office in 2003. .. State employees are being directed to keep coming to work after July 1, even though they will not get paid for it until a budget is in place. That generated daily protests in the Capitol Rotunda in 1991, including shouts of "Paycheck, paycheck" and signs that said: "Don't pass the buck-pass the budget." Albany County employees to take five day furloughs .. The County announced the five-day furlough to deal with a $20-million-dollar budget shortfall.. ... A spokesperson for CSEA, which represents two thirds of the county workforce, tells us quote, "We're going to fight any furlough plan. By taking pay from people, they are changing the terms of the contract. We feel we have a grievance." CSEA plans rally to protest Saratoga Springs contract stalemate CSEA plans to rally outside the New York Conference of Mayors annual meeting on Tuesday, protesting a stalemate in contract negotiations with the city’s Department of Public Works. Lack of interest in Kingston furlough program disappoints mayor KINGSTON — Mayor James Sottile says he’s disappointed by the limited response to a voluntary furlough program offered to city workers. Ten employees have opted into the program, saving the city $10,000, according to City Comptroller John Tuey. The city’s annual budget is $35 million. The program was offered to 170 members of the Civil Service Employees Association, the union representing City Hall, Department of Public Works and Parks and Recreation Department employees. State Employee Retirement Program A Success The retirement incentive program negotiated by the administration of Gov. M. Jodi Rell and state employee unions has already succeeded beyond the projections of the Rell administration, which estimated that roughly 3,000 state workers would choose to retire. As of last week, 3,460 had filed papers to retire, with the potential for hundreds more to follow before July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year, when the incentive program will end. Sales-tax troubles exceed loss estimates in Denver's budget Denver officials scrambling to close a projected $70 million budget deficit are considering moves such as creating a fee for trash collection, releasing nonviolent offenders from jail and delaying street repairs. But a review of sales-tax revenue collected in the first four months of this year shows matters may get even worse. Tax hikes run risk of public outrage A push by the General Assembly to hike personal and business taxes at a time of record unemployment could generate a powerful political backlash. Nearly one in four individual taxpayers would be affected by lawmakers' proposal to raise Delaware's personal income tax rates, the first upward move in 30 years. ... .State labor groups and Democratic Caucus leaders say balancing the budget through hasty cuts -- rather than higher taxes -- could seriously cripple state government. Related from Sussex Countian: Delaware to reduce 500-plus jobs through attrition State budget deal calls for a tax overhaul Arizonans would see a switch to a flat income tax, get a chance to vote on a sales-tax increase and see smaller state government as part of a budget agreement reached between Gov. Jan Brewer and GOP legislative leaders. Iowa DOT blocks tweets over security concerns Don't try tweeting if you work for the Iowa Department of Transportation. The state agency is blocking the use of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other online social media applications for its 3,000 employees while they're on the job because of worries about computer security. |
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