James Heaney writes in yesterday’s News:
Two city firefighters, Alphonse Patton and Joseph Tomizzi, have given $15,830 between them, making them far and away the largest individual contributors among the city work force.
Hey, I’m not a hater. I think it’s a beautiful thing that we live in a country where individual firefighters can somehow manage to donate more money than real estate developers, laywers, business leaders and high-priced consultants. Let’s not hate the players. But let’s be very aware of the game. And, indeed, it’s a game about to be run at New Buffalo’s expense.
Unions havenit donated a penny to Helfer, according to campaign records…Labor organizations have contributed about $113,000, and every penny has gone to Brown. Union money accounts for 12 percent of Brownis donations.
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The union representing city firefighters and its state affiliate is Brownis biggest contributor. Second is AFSCME, a union that represents the cityis white and blue collar employees. The Police Benevolent Association is Brownis ninth-largest contributor.
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All three unions have issues with the city. The firefighters have sued to overturn an arbitratoris ruling that nixes the long standing practice of paying firefighters the same as police.
The police union continues to object to a wage freeze imposed by the cityis control board.
And blue collar workers represented by AFSCME are working under an expired contract.
So here’s the question: How do you sit at the negotiating table and represent the best interests of the city when they are regularly at odds with those of the people on the other side of the table whose checks you’ve taken and cashed?
Hat Tip to BuffaloPundit.