by Chris Braunlich
There are many reasons why Governor Abigail Spanberger should veto the collective bargaining bill headed to her desk, a bill requiring local and state governments to bargain with union bosses even if less than a majority of public employees want the union or the bargaining.
There is the fact that it will force major spending increases on local governments, just as it added $350 million to Richmond City’s costs when that city voluntarily approved collective bargaining four years ago, and to Fairfax County, which giddily adopted collective bargaining, only to find it’s driven a $300 million shortfall this year.
Then there is the fact that the state estimates the bill will create new bureaucracies, add 333 new state employees to the payroll and require additional spending of up to $92 million over the next five years before any salary increases. Those costs will only grow.
There is also the fact that most local government leaders oppose it, including dozens of Democratic elected officials, who say it would add an unfunded mandate on local governments and school boards, imposing a “one-size fits all” collective bargaining approach on local governments. Those Democrats want to see collective bargaining remain voluntary.
Democrats like Prince William School Board Chair Babur Lateef (who ran for the Democratic Lt. Governor nomination) is one, as are seven urban Democratic mayors.
They are also the ones who must make local government work, as opposed to those worthies in the General Assembly who are happy to impose their idea of governance on others but not have to take responsibility themselves. Which explains why General Assembly Democrats specifically exempted their own employees from the legislation, an example of “Mandates for thee, but not for me.”
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