State House Bulletin March 11 2011

HB 580 Update

The Special Committee on Public Pensions Reform spent most of its work session today raising questions about the wording, content, legality, and budget implications of Rep. Neal Kurk’s omnibus pension bill HB 580.

Kurk himself was not present for the work session – he was wreaking havoc with the state budget downstairs.

The committee did briefly review a fiscal note but still awaits legal opinions early next week on several provisions in Kurk’s bill.

The complexity and apparent contradictions in the bill prompted Rep. Edward Moran to quip, “This bill reads like an 11th grade word problem (on a test).”

Wading through a discussion on raising the mandatory retirement age to 67, the committee decided that both employees and employers would be hurt by such a move. “But that would increase their camaraderie,” Moran sarcastically said. “That way both sides will have one foot in the poor house.”

Rep. Ken Hawkins, chair of the special committee, did note that one provision of Kurk’s bill – a threat to enact financial penalties on employees if a constitutional challenge is filed – will likely be removed from the Sen. Jeb Bradley’s companion omnibus bill in the Senate hearings next Wednesday. It seemed clear from other comments by the chair that a compromise bill based on Bradley’s SB3 is likely as legislation moves forward.

More work sessions are planned next week.

Click here to tell the Special Committee what you think about HB 580, the "Omnibus" pension bill filed by Rep. Neal Kurk and now pending in the House.  (Use your home computer and home email address only, please.)  You can read about HB 580 in last Friday's State House Bulletin. 
 

Highways of Horrors

Today, the House Finance Committee's Division II proposed laying off 778 full time employees from the Department of Transportation's Division of Operations for savings they estimate to as $54 million. Apparently, Representatives Elliott, McGuire, Umberger and Sova believe that they will be able to contract out this work and save between $16,000 to $20,000 savings per position each year. They clearly don't understand the cost advantages the State, as a public employer, enjoys that the private contractor does not.

Similarly, they don't understand how much it would actually cost to lay off 778 workers -- a large part of that anticipated $54 million will be wiped away just in leave pay-outs alone. Add the State's liability for unemployment compensation for these workers and you have an economic disaster.

The State, as an employer, does not pay unemployment taxes, does not pay its own state taxes (like the gas tax) that private sector contractors must; it achieves a far better cost advantage for workers compensation and liability coverage; it aggressively bids for all of its equipment and supplies with a large market share advantage; and last but not least -- it does not earn a profit or pay for high-priced CEOs.

Other states have already tried wholesale outsourcing for their highways and learned the hard way that you get what you pay for and often times the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence -- or in this case, highway divide.

New Hampshire's highways are one of its crown jewels; spoken about by tourists all over the world for the markedly different and welcome experience they bring to all who travel into the Granite State. Moreover, safety and confidence in traveling our roads in even the worst weather conditions is something of value beyond that which dollars can be counted.

"Who do we want to have plowing our roads next winter?" asked SEA Director Brian Pike, a Program Specialist in DOT's Mechanical Division.  "Our DOT workers take great care -- we take great pride in our work.  Private employees getting low wages aren't going to care, and they're not going to maintain the roads to the same standards.  The State is going to end up paying out lots of insurance claims and repairing lots of broken guardrails. 

"These legislators need to take a ride in a plow truck and see what is actually involved," Brian added.  "If they lay off the workers and dismantle the equipment infrastructure, what's going to happen when it turns out that contracting maintenance doesn't work?  It's going to cost two to three times as much to buy all the equipment again and rebuild all the infrastructure.  They're not thinking this through." 
 

Upcoming Budget Sessions:

Sunday, March 13
FINANCE – (DIVISION III), Rooms 210-211, LOB
Budget Work Session
1:00 p.m. Division - requested Health and Human Services - wide cost reduction plans (all divisions and bureaus.)

Monday, March 14
Finance - (DIVISION II), Room 210-11 LOB
Budget Work Session
12:00 noon - Department of Transportation

Budget Work Sessions are open to the public, and SEA members are encouraged to attend.  There will be no opportunity for testimony, but it is important to have the public in the room while Committee members make decisions that affect New Hampshire's quality of life.

A voice crying in the wilderness at the State House

One of the first speakers during Thursday’s marathon public hearing on the budget was New Hampshire's Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson.

He called the Finance Committee to task, saying that what they are doing is “simply irresponsible and immoral.”

“Let’s be clear: belt-tightening in challenging times is a good thing, but it is NOT moral to unilaterally tighten the belts of OTHER people, against their will and to their detriment, while allowing ourselves to go scot-free. We are not asking the most vulnerable to make a sacrifice – because sacrifice comes as a free offering from those willing to bear the burden themselves. When sacrifice is perpetrated on the vulnerable and weak by the strong and prosperous, it is social abuse,” he said.

You can read his entire statement below:

Testimony before the House Finance Committee Hearing on the Budget
March 10, 2011
By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

My name is Gene Robinson, and I am a citizen of Weare. I am also the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire. I fear that what I will have to say here today will be a bit like whistling in the wind, but as the leader of some 15,000 Episcopalians all over this state, and as one person of faith, I must say it anyway, or else will find it hard to say my prayers tonight.

If I sound angry to you, you’re right. But I’m not angry for myself, but on behalf of the poor and vulnerable on whose backs this proposed budget is being balanced.

The Jewish scriptures of the Old Testament, and the Christian scriptures of the New Testament, have one overriding theme: it is that the God of All Creation will judge humankind, not by our accomplishments, nor by our GDP, nor by the average test scores of our school children, but by how well we care for the poor and vulnerable in our midst. No other theme is so thoroughly driven home in Holy Scripture.

As a moral and spiritual leader of the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire, I have to say that the proposed cuts to the services and social safety net of our New Hampshire community fly in the face of every moral value I hold dear.

Let’s be clear: belt-tightening in challenging times is a good thing, but it is NOT moral to unilaterally tighten the belts of OTHER people, against their will and to their detriment, while allowing ourselves to go scot-free. We are not asking the most vulnerable to make a sacrifice – because sacrifice comes as a free offering from those willing to bear the burden themselves. When sacrifice is perpetrated on the vulnerable and weak by the strong and prosperous, it is social abuse. If there is belt-tightening to be done, we should be tightening our OWN belts and coming up with the resources to do what a civilized society does: to care for, and not cut services for the poor, the disabled, the blind, the unemployed, the impoverished elderly, the uninsured, and children living in poverty. Those who would lay quick claim to the moral ground of “family values” are proposing a budget that undermines vulnerable families all across this great state.

So, do what you are going to do. But make no mistake – this budget is simply irresponsible and immoral. Pass this budget if you think you must, but don’t do it in the name of Yankee frugality and fiscal responsibility. Sitting here in one of the most prosperous states in the Union, let’s just call it what it is: a stubborn and selfish unwillingness by us, the privileged, to tighten our OWN belts for the good of our fellow citizens who are truly in need.
 

Meet Your Legislator

The AFL-CIO is coordinating efforts to fight Right to Work legislation and has organized a coalition of labor unions throughout New Hampshire on this and other issues. Please join SEA members and members of other local labor unions to meet with your State Senator and discuss the issues being considered this Legislative session, including

• pension reforms
• health care changes
• changes to collective bargaining laws

6:00 pm - Meet with other union members
7:00 pm - Meet with your Legislators

Monday, March 14 – Meeting with State Senator Tom De Blois, Senate District 18
For: Members who live in Litchfield, and Wards 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in the city of Manchester
Where? 161 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, NH
** Rescheduled from March 7th
 

Monday, March 21 – Meeting with State Senator David Boutin, Senate District 16
For: Members who live in Bow, Candia, Dunbarton, Hooksett, and Wards 1, 2, and 12 in the city of Manchester
Where? 161 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, NH
** Please note date change
 

Tuesday, March 22 - Meeting with State Senator Bob O'Dell, Senate District 8
For: Members who live in Acworth, Alstead, Charlestown, Claremont, Gilsum, Goshen, Langdon, Lempster, Marlow, Newbury, New London, Newport, Roxbury, Stoddard, Sullivan, Sunapee, Sutton, Unity, Walpole, Washington and Westmoreland
Where?  Claremont Senior Center, 5 Acer Heights Road, Claremont
 

Here's how SEA Board member Betty Thomas described an earlier meeting:

It was a great experience meeting with my Senator in an informal setting, along with other workers with similar concerns. The Senator heard our concerns about issues facing us as employees providing services to the citizens of this state, what some of this legislation will do to the New Hampshire citizens, and to us as employees with families to support. I think when some of these bills come before the Senator in the Senate, he will remember the faces and concerns of his constituents. I believe the Senator now understands we are not numbers on a spreadsheet, but real, live people with families, who provide services to the most needy of New Hampshire citizens. The importance of putting a face to the statistics cannot be overstated.

Please don't miss this opportunity to speak with these Senators and let them know how pending legislation will affect you and your family.

To RSVP or for more information about the "Meet Your Legislator" Series, please contact SEA Governmental Relations Coordinator Brian Hawkins at 271-3411 x120. 
  

Today, the Granite State Fair Tax Coalition sent out an "Alert" about two proposed Constitutional amendments and HB 341. 

SEA is a member of GSFTC, which advocates a balanced tax system that would reduce the state's dependence on property taxes.  Please read the Alert here.
 

Secure Your Future!

This winter, hundreds of SEA members gathered to discuss pending legislation that would harm New Hampshire's public services -- and the people who provide them.  Did you miss out on these conversations? You can still get involved in the campaign to Secure Your Future.

1. If you only receive our email newsletters when a friend or colleague forwards them to you, join our mailing list!  You can subscribe to our newsletters by filling out the online form here.
2. You can "Tell Your Story" about how pending legislation will affect your work and your family.  Statistics and aggregate data only go so far, when we're trying to explain to Legislators why certain bills would be good -- or bad -- for New Hampshire. Personal stories often have a greater impact. Tell your story by filling out the form here.
3. You can let us know how you want to get involved in the campaign by filling out the form here.
4. Contact your field representative for more information, or to set up a meeting at your worksite.