King County staff released their report today on the feasibility of taxpayer-campaign funding. As with any government regulation of elections, the cost to free speech freedom is high, but let’s talk hard dollars right now. The report analyzed taxpayer-funded campaign programs from Arizona and Maine, and the cities of Portland, Albuquerque and San Francisco. The following chart describes the cost of each program if used in King County’s general election campaigns for King County Council and King County Executive. The chart can be found on page 14 of the report.
Model (applied to King County
Council only
Executive only
Total Executive & Council
Maine
$ 500,904
$ 784,000
$1,284,904
Seattle
1,050,000
300,000
1,350,000
King County
1,260,000
525,000
1,785,000
San Francisco
1,575,000
1,700,000
3,275,000
Arizona
2,160,000
1,140,000
3,300,000
Albuquerque
1,995,012
1,989,628
3,984,640
Portland
6,300,000
900,000
7,200,000
The costs listed above cover only the amounts given to candidates, not administrative and enforcement costs. Using a suspect, albeit resourceful, yardstick, (see pages 35 and 36 of the report for details) the report projects administrative costs at $609,536.
These numbers, however, do no reflect the costs to implement the system Councilman Bob Ferguson has proposed. As noted in a previous post, the proposed legislation would cover all county-wide elections and candidates would be granted up to three times the salary of the office they are running for.
The report also discusses funding strategies, acknowledging that many of the sources mentioned will not provide enough revenue to support a full program alone (pages 36 and 37). Proposed sources include:
A property tax check-off
Candidate filing fees or voter pamphlet fees
Voluntary donations
Qualifying contributions raised by candidates
Penalties for violating campaign finance laws
Proportionately distributing costs among all the county agencies.
Special levy ($0.01 per $1,000 in assessed value would fund the program), and
Tapping into the county’s general fund
As we noted earlier today, Washington State is the sixth highest taxed state in the nation. Given today's prevailing mood about tax increases (transportation taxes, property taxes, etc.), citizens may not tolerate creating another entitlement program for politicians.
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
We were happy to finally be able to celebrate Tax Freedom Day here in Washington state on April 29...almost a full week after the rest of the nation and nearly two weeks after neighboring Oregon. But it is nice to get some recognition... It seems we are the 6th highest taxed state in the nation.
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
The first of what we plan to be a short series of videos that parody "the more you know" videos that many of you may see on TV.
Let us know your thoughts.
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, the local teachers union finds itself in a bit of a tiff with the local newspaper. Prior to a local election, the union mailed out a flyer misrepresenting statements made by The Grand Rapids Press:
The flyer falsely implied that this newspaper had validated the union's claims that city schools are unsafe. The mailing was meant to influence the school board election. One of the three candidates the union endorsed won.
Besides an egregious manipulation of The Press' story, most disturbing is union president Paul Helder's apparent determination to damage the image of the district with scare tactics, not responsible dialogue.
The union's unconfirmed claims of unsafe schools touch every parent, student and taxpayer. This propaganda goes beyond bargaining matters such as wages and work days.
So, the union bosses played dirty pool. That’s about as shocking as OJ’s former manager revealing that he helped OJ commit murder. Yawn.
Last lines:
The focus needs to be on greater student achievement, enhancing instruction and bolstering enrollment. You can quote The Press on that.
Teachers unions do not care about “greater student achievement, enhancing instruction and bolstering enrollment.” They do care about putting money in their pockets through payroll deductions from warm bodies willing to work in a thankless job. They do care about using that money to get exactly what they want at the bargaining table opposite the school board members they helped elect.
How’s that for a combo?
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
As we’ve blogged before, the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing an Idaho law that prohibits unions from using the government payroll system for political fundraising. The Idaho Education Association (an NEA affiliate) and several other unions are challenging the law. The Evergreen Freedom Foundation will be filing an amicus curiae brief with the court next month. In the process of legal research, we were reminded of this gem of a quote.
NEA General Counsel Robert Chanin once said in federal court:
(I)t is well recognized that if you take away the mechanism of payroll deduction you won't collect a penny from these people, and it has nothing to do with voluntary or involuntary. I think it has to do with the nature of the beast, and the beasts who are our teachers...who simply don't come up with money regardless of the purpose.
Federal Elections Commission v. National Education Association, 457 F. Supp. 1102, 1109 (1978) (emphasis added).
And they call us anti-teacher?
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
Why should unions work in each state to unionize public employees when they can just get Congress to do it all at once nationwide?
If the U.S. Senate passes the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, it will allow police, firefighters and paramedics in every city of more than 5,000 people to unionize and bargain for pay, benefits and work rules.
The House already passed the measure (H.R. 980) in 2007 by a vote of 314-97. The bill has 11 Republican co-sponsors in the Senate, which may signal enough bipartisan support to ensure its passage. President Bush has vowed a veto.
The Wall Street Journal recently pointed out that the bill will lead to legal challenges, increase the public tax burden, harm public security, and have the effect of forcing certain employees into supporting or contributing to a union.
Liberty, which used to be priceless and non-negotiable, now seems subject to debate. Are union clout and political contributions worth more to certain senators than upholding personal rights?
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
Yeah we were a little late to the party this time, sorry about that. We have a great reason that a fancy song was written about that you can find HERE.
Anyway, episode 6 of the Get Free Podcast is now live. This week we sit down with EFF's newest staffer, Sonya Jones, to discuss the "protection" of the WEA for it's teachers. They were SO "protective" that they lost many fine teachers extra income. Guess why?
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And don't forget to comment.
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
Those are the 80-year-old rust buckets DOT decided to retire for safety reasons in November, three weeks after DOT assured the legislature they were in generally good condition. Not that this will help the state ferry system, but we are always looking out for the Washington Department of Corrections, too. Sea-going prisons anybody? And if one of them sinks....
OK, now I'm just getting cruel, but majority legislators really aren't big on building new "big houses."
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
After reading the latest article in the Kitsap Sun regarding ferries, I started thinking about how the state could sell its two foot ferries. If this latest deal goes the way of the failed attempt to sell the ferries on eBay, the ferry system may have to resort to Craigslist. Here's a possible posting I wrote for them:
2 passenger-only ferries, like-new, used sparingly. Same class. 7,200 Hp. 35 knots max speed. Diesel-Waterjet propulsion. Carries up to 350 people. Paid $9.7 million each. Asking price $4.5 million each. $8.5 million OBO takes them both. Touch-up paint included. As is, cash only, no trades. Pictures below.
Docked at Eagle Harbor for easy convenience. Pick up anytime. Payment on the honor system. Leave payment in ferry union dues drop box. Call David M. at 206-555-5555 for directions or questions.
Chinook
Snohomish
And if this doesn't work, maybe the state could pawn them off as riverboat casinos on the Mississippi River or Gulf Coast. The possibilities are endless.
Let's just hope that in the meantime our ferries don't end up in this situation:
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
...two columns on Friday morning. EFF Labor Policy Center Director Sonya Jones has an op-ed in the Columbian in Vancouver concerning the state's loss of a $13.2 million private grant to promote advanced placement of high school students in math and science because of arcane state labor union negotiation laws and the refusal of the Washington Education Association to compromise.
And Economic Policy Center Director Amber Gunn, along with policy analyst Brian Zapotocky, have posted a definitive commentary article making it clear that Big Foot is alive and well.
Written by The Official Weblog of EFF · Filed Under State Blogs
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