"Teacher vs. Unions: One Woman's Courageous Fight to Free Her Profession" with Rebecca Friedrichs

 

From Hannah Cox of the Bastiat Society:

 

Dear Rod,

We're kicking off the 2018 year with a Bastiat Society event featuring Rebecca Friedrichs. Friedrichs is a former teacher who took her battle against forced unionization all the way up to the supreme court. You won't want to miss our kick-off event!

Events are free and open to the public, but we do ask that you register so we can provide adequate food and beverages for all of our guests. 

6:00 pm Happy Hour

6:30 pm Speaker

7:00 pm Q&A

The Bastiat Society of Nashville is a project of the Beacon Center of Tennessee in association with the Bastiat Society and AIER.

Rebecca Friedrichs, a twenty-eight year veteran elementary school teacher, is the face of a national

Rebecca Friedrichs

movement by teachers and other public employees to end forced unionism.

The Friedrichs case was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on January 11, 2016 and sought to bring "right to work" civil rights to all public employees in America.

The Court was poised to rule 5-4 for Rebecca and all public employees who want to be free from forced speech. But Justice Scalia died a month after oral arguments leaving our country stunned, and resulting in a 4-4 tied decision for the Friedrichs case.

Rebecca is currently building a national movement to restore proper authority to parents and teachers in our schools and to give voice to those abused by unions. Her network is supporting Mark Janus in his US Supreme Court case, Janus v AFSCME, which will be heard February 26, 2018, and also seeks to free workers from forced unionism.

Rebecca's editorials have been published around the country. She's the host of a successful Prager University video on the real reasons teachers unions attack school choice.

She's appeared on numerous radio, and television news outlets including CBS News, NBC, FOX News, FOX Business Network, and NPR.

Rebecca is happily married to Charles Friedrichs, Director of the School of Music and Dance at San Diego State University. She and Charles have two grown sons, Kyle and Ben.

When: Tuesday, January 30, 2018 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM CST

Where: ADS Security, 3001 Armory Dr #100, Nashville, TN 37204

Register Now!

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Paycheck Protection bill promoted

Press release, (NASHVILLE, TN) –Tennesseans for Conservative Action announces the start of a web and radio campaign urging Tennessee conservatives in support of Rep. Spivey’s efforts to end the automatic dues deductions for political government unions.

Julie West, a founding member of the group said its time to stand against the National Education Association. "It takes 5 minutes of research to understand how the NEA uses taxpayers to help fund their dues-collection, and uses those dues for a SuperPAC to attack conservatives and promote their left-wing agenda.”

The issue of payroll deductions came to light last year after a Memphis teachers association disaffiliated from the NEA, leaving the school district confused as to where to send teachers dues. The result was a lawsuit against Shelby CountySchools Schools by the former-NEA teachers.

Many teachers across Tennessee have complained that the process for dis-enrolling from payroll deduction is opaque and limited to small window of time each year. They also cite the TEA’s refusal to permit teachers to opt-out of supporting the NEA, an organization that supports ObamaCare, abortion, and left-wing organizations like ACORN and the Progressive States Network.

“Read the FEC filings. You’ll see that the NEA is buying billboards for Hillary Clinton, and they’re using member dues to do it. What conservative teacher wants to give up a piece of their paycheck for that? We need to make the process fair for teachers and taxpayers alike and get government out of the dues-collection business."

Watch or listen to TCA's ad here.

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What's on the Council Agenda April 7th: term limits, a lot of 4% money, diverting Hotel-motel tax, public sector unions.

If you don't know what the Metro Council is voting on and you watch a council meeting, you will find it really, really boring. If you have your own copy of the Council agenda and staff analysis it will still be boring but not really, really boring. To get your own copies, follow the highlighted links.

There are seven appointees to Boards and Commissions. None of them are to the troubled or controversial agencies and I don't know the appointees. The council routinely  approves whomever the mayor appoints.  Recently the council did reject an appointee to the Fair Board who was an advocate of destroying the fair grounds and selling the property, but it is extremely rare the council ever rejects an appointee to a board or commission.

There is one resolution and 13 bills on Public hearing. Most bills on public hearing are zoning or related issues and are of interest only to nearby neighbors of the proposed rezoning. I don't try to stay informed on zoning issues nor do I try to form an opinion. Here are the ones I find interesting:

• RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-1415  This is interesting because it is so silly that the Council has to keep doing this. This resolution allows a particular restaurant that already has a liquor license, an exemption from a portion of the metro beer ordinance so they can get a permit to sell beer. Metro has distance requirements from schools, churches, parks, day care center, in order to get a beer permit. However, the state does not have those distance requirements to get a liquor license. So, if an establishment has a liquor license then the Council can exempt them from the distance requirements in the beer ordinance and let them also get a beer permit, but there must first be a public hearing. I think that the distance exemption should be automatic; that if one has a liquor license they should be allowed to get a beer permit.
• BILL NO. BL2015-1055 is a bill disapproved by the planning commission. The bill is tailored to allow an outdoor amusement called Topgolf to operate in an area now zoned industrial. Rather than changing the zoning, the bill attempts to change the text of the zoning ordinance to permit what is not now permitted.

There are 20 resolutions on the agenda. Most resolutions are lumped together and put on the "consent agenda" and all pass with a single voted. If a resolution does not pass the committee to which it was assigned unanimously then it is not on consent and is considered separately. Any council member may from the floor, ask for a bill to be pulled off of consent and then the resolution will be considered separately.  There are several bills concerning issuing short-term debt to finance sewer projects. The short-term debt may be thought of as a construction loan that one gets while building a house then the construction loan is paid off with a mortgage. This short-term loans will be paid off when long-term bonds are issued. These are the resolutions I find interesting:

• RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-1419 spends almost $15 million dollars out of the four percent fund. Four percent of the General Fund is set aside to be appropriated throughout the year. The four percent fund is supposed to only fund equipment purchases and repairs. Before the request gets to the Council, it must be approved by the Mayor's finance director. 

There is now $28 million in the fund but that includes $5 million of anticipated revenue not yet realized so spending $15 million will leave the fund pretty low. $650,000 is for a new a new "legislative management system," what ever that is, and a new voting system for the Metro Council. Four million dollars is to replace a phone system and other information technology service needs. A half million is for renovation and repairs at General Hospital. In my view, the city needs to get out of the hospital business.  When contemplating the future of General Hospital, the next mayor and council should recall that the subsidy to General Hospital is not only the budgeted amount but this half million from the 4% fund.  $50,000 is for miscellaneous equipment and repairs at Farmers Market.

Please note that this is all additional money to the departments, money not budgeted for that department. This is a large request from the 4% fund but will probably be the last request this year unless something major breaks.  Every penny of request may be justified, but to me it looks like department are getting while the getting is good, not knowing if the next mayor will approve their request or not.  The council has no way to determine if a repair or piece equipment would just be nice to have or is essential but sometimes a probing inquiry of the department head can result in somewhat of a determination if the request is necessary or if it is inflated. I hope the Budget and Finance Committee takes a hard look at this request.  They need to ask if there is any life remaining in what is being asked to be replaced. They need to ask how long the repair or replacement has been needed.  They need to ask what would the agency do if the request in not granted. I suspect some of this is not essential spending.

•  RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-1420 appropriates $1.85 million to entities that operate as enterprise funds, that is they are supposed to operate off of their own revenue. The Fair Ground request is for $700K, however the funds will come from funds that have been generated at the Fair Grounds.  The municipal auditorium request of $550K and the Farmers Market request of $600K is money out of the undesignated fund balance. My view is that perhaps the city should sellthe municipal auditorium if it cannot break even.  We have the Bridestone arena and there are numerous other music venues and exhibition spaces in town.  The auditorium does fill a niche in a space of that size and that price point, however the property is extremely valuable and if the facility cannot figure out how to cover their operating cost, maybe it is time to sell and redevelop the property.

I don't know what to say about the farmers market. It is really not a farmers market where farmers can sell to retailers such as grocery stores and restaurants. It is a boutique farm-to-table farmers market.  I enjoy going to farmers market but we should be able to operate a facility like that and make it covers it's operating cost.

I know the stuff sold in the North shed was tacky junk.  I was never in the market for a velvet African princess piece of art or twelve pair of socks for six dollars, but those vendors were providing income to the market as well as making a living for themsleves. I doubt there is enough demand for soy candles and homemade soap and such to fill that shed. Unless it would mean closing the market, I think this appropriation should be deferred and let the next mayor and council decide what to do with farmers market.  

RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-1433 proposes an amendment to the charter to appear on the November 7th ballot to increase the term limits of the Vice Mayor and Council to three terms. Terms limits for the Council were approved in 1994. Attempts to repeal or extend term limits have been tried several times since. I think term limits are a mistake and it weakens the role of the council and makes for a stronger mayor and more powerful permanent bureaucracy. However, I doubt the public is in a mood to expand term limits so I don't think this ought to go on the November 7th ballot. The Council will defer this to let the Charter Revision Commission make a recommendation.

There are a bunch of bills on first reading, but I don't look at them until second reading and I doubt many of the members of the Council do either.  First reading is a formality to get the bill on the agenda and all bills on first reading are passed at one time in one motion.

Bills on Second Reading of interest:

BILL NO. BL2015-1056 would designate that revenue received from the hotel-motel tax from short-term vacation rental (such as Airbnb) go to the Barnes fund for Affordable Housing.  The State law that created the  hotel-motel tax says where the money must go and only one 1% of the 6% tax on rooms goes to the general fund.  The other 5% go to debt service on the convention center, tourism promotion and tourism related activity.  This bill would divert that 1% from the general fund to the Barnes Fund. but only the portion of that 1% of the tax collected from short-term vacation rentals. I see no logic in why that portion of the hotel-motel tax should fund the Barnes Fund.  I also think this is unwise.  My view is that money designated, is an appropriations decision the council cannot make. The Barnes Fund should compete with General Hospital, Farmers Market, Schools, police and everything else the city does for an annual appropriations. There are many unmet needs in the city including an ageing infrastructure  and a desire for sidewalk and drainage projects.  I am concerned about Metro's unfunded and growing pension liability and retiree health care obligations and general debt obligations and do  not think any money should be taken off the table.  If I were in the Council, I would vote against this bill.

There are only three bills on Third Reading and none of them are of interest.

Memorializing resolutions:  There are six memorializing resolutions on the agenda. A memorializing resolution does not have any force in law or do anything, it just expresses the will of the Council.  Often memorializing resolutions are used to congratulate a sports team on a victory or to honor a retiring employee or community volunteer. Sometimes however, the Council weights in on State or national issues.  Most often when that happens it is to promote some left-wing agenda item and may be part of a nationwide movement to get cities across the nation to urge Congress to take a particular action. The handful of conservatives on the Council have usually rolled over and played dead when it comes to liberal memorializing resolutions and allowed them to pass without objections. I hope the new Council will push back against the trend of putting the Council on record supporting liberal policies. If a memorializing resolution passes the committee to which it is assigned unanimously, then the memorializing resolution becomes part of the consent agenda.

RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-1437 puts the council on record opposing state legislation that would prohibit local governments from recognizing any labor union or employee association as a bargaining agent of government employees. There is a bill pending in the legislature,  House Bill 603  and Senate Bill 123 that would do that. Here is the legislative summary of the bill:

This bill prohibits municipal and county governments from:

(1) Recognizing any labor union or employee association as a bargaining agent of the employees or officers of the municipality or county;

(2) Collectively bargaining with any labor union or employee association; or

(3) Entering into any collective bargaining agreement with a labor union or employee association, including, but not limited to, a memorandum of understanding.

Any agreement, contract, understanding, or practice, written or oral, implied or expressed, between a municipality or county and any labor union or employee association in violation of this bill will be deemed illegal, void, and of no legal effect.

This bill authorizes elected and appointed county and municipal public officers to seek injunctive relief in chancery court to prevent the municipality or county from violating this section.

This bill's prohibitions will not apply to:

(1) Collaborative conferencing between local boards of education and professional employees; or

(2) Collective bargaining between transit authorities and workers.

I support the bill and oppose the memorializing resolution against it. In government, there are not market forces that mitigate against excessive union demands.  In the private sector, a company can go out of business if labor cost raise the price of a product and make the product unattractive to consumers. In the public sector there are no market forces to provide a pushback against union demands.   As unionized labor has diminished in the US, unions have focused more and more on unionizing public sector employees. The Supreme Court of Tennessee, in Fulenwider v. Firefighters Assoc. Local Union, 649 S.W.2d 268 (Tenn. 1982), has confirmed the long-standing rule that contracts between municipal corporations and unions representing their employees are unenforceable.  This codifies that Court ruling.

This needs to be defeated, deferred indefinitely or withdrawn. I will  be very disappointed if any of the Council members who profess  to be conservative support this memorializing resolution. The State House has deferred the bill  to a summer study committee, which  often kills a bill, so it will not be voted  on in the remaining days of this legislative session anyway.

RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-1438  welcome the National Rifle Association to Nashville for its 2015 Annual Meetings. I would not be surprised if some anti-2nd amendment  liberals in the Council attempt to defeat this resolution.

The other four memorializing resolutions should not be controversial.

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Beacon Center Offers Teachers Assistance to Opt Out of Their Union

Poll Headlines National Employee Freedom Week Effort to Educate Union Employees About Rights

NASHVILLE – In celebration of National Employee Freedom Week, the Beacon Center of Tennessee will be running a week-long public awareness effort, which will focus on giving teachers across the state the information and resources needed to opt out of their union.

“The teachers’ unions continue to make the process of opting out difficult and complicated,” said Beacon CEO Justin Owen. "We believe opting out should be simple, and we are here to help clarify the process for those teachers who would rather keep their hard-earned money than give it to an extreme, far-left organization.” Owen noted that the states’ union has advocated for a state income tax along with other views completely out of the mainstream.

A new poll shows that 81% of Tennessee residents support allowing union employees to leave their union without force or penalty, a concept generally referred to as right-to-work. This poll was released as part of National Employee Freedom Week (NEFW). The full results of the poll, released yesterday, can be found here.

This poll headlines the activities of NEFW, which runs from August 10 to 16, 2014. NEFW is a coalition of 77 organizations in 44 states that are conducting widespread outreach to inform union employees about their rights to opt out of union membership. 

Unions often do as little as is required by law to inform their employees that they have the right to opt out. But as previous NEFW polling illustrates, over 33 percent of those in union households want to leave. Therefore, educational efforts similar to what Beacon is doing this week are absolutely necessary to inform and educate union members about their workplace rights and empower them to make the decision about union membership that's best for them.

The Beacon Center empowers Tennesseans to reclaim control of their lives, so that they can freely pursue their version of the American Dream.  

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The Machine: The Truth Behind Teachers Unions

America's public education system is failing. We're spending more money on education but not getting better results for our children.

That's because the machine that runs the K-12 education system isn't designed to produce better schools. It's designed to produce more money for unions and more donations for politicians.

For decades, teachers' unions have been among our nation's largest political donors. As Reason Foundation's Lisa Snell has noted, the National Education Association (NEA) alone spent $40 million on the 2010 election cycle (source: http://reason.org/news/printer/big-education-and-big-labor-electio). As the country's largest teachers union, the NEA is only one cog in the infernal machine that robs parents of their tax dollars and students of their futures.

Students, teachers, parents, and hardworking Americans are all victims of this political machine--a system that takes money out of taxpayers' wallets and gives it to union bosses, who put it in the pockets of politicians.

Our kids deserve better. "The Machine" is 4:17 minutes. Written and narrated by Evan Coyne Maloney. Produced by the Moving Picture Institute in partnership with Reason TV.

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The Chicago Story: what is wrong with public sector unions

Read the story below. This is what is wrong with public sector unions. Thankfully our state legislature curtailed the power of  the teacher's unions in Tennessee.

25,000 Chicago Teachers Walk Off the Job

September 10, 2012,  Amy Payne, The Foundry,

This morning, about 350,000 students in Chicago Public Schools will be without teachers. While the 25,000-plus unionized teachers take to the picket lines in a strike over benefits and teacher evaluations, working parents are scrambling to figure out what to do.

"We know a strike is really going to be painful. People will be hurt on both sides," Jay Rehak, a union delegate and high school English teacher, told the Chicago Tribune. "But in the end, it's like saying, 'I'll be bloodied and you'll be bloodied, but at least you'll know not to bully me again.'"

Among other demands, the Chicago Teachers Union had asked for a 30 percent pay increase—despite the facts that just 15 percent of fourth graders are proficient in reading and just 56 percent of students graduate in the district. The school board ended up offering a 16 percent pay increase over four years, but as last night's midnight deadline for strike negotiations neared, the union rejected the offer.

The average teacher in Chicago Public Schools—a district facing a $700 million deficit—makes $71,000 per year before benefits are included.

Reuters reports that "Chicago Public Schools has projected a $3 billion budget deficit over the next three years and faces a crushing burden of pensions promised to retiring teachers."

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, formerly President Obama's White House chief of staff, is getting an advanced class in union power. He came into office last year and asked the teachers to accept a 2 percent pay raise instead of 4 percent to try to address the $700 million budget shortfall, and the union refused.

He did reach a deal to lengthen one of the country's shortest school days. As the Tribune describes: "In exchange for the longer school day—an additional half-hour in high schools and 75 minutes in elementary schools—CPS agreed to rehire nearly 500 teachers in non-core subjects from a pool of teachers who had been laid off. That kept the hours in the work week the same for full-time teachers."

The most reliable data show that teachers in general work no more than private professionals in a typical workweek, even when off-site work on evenings and weekends is included. Yet the CPS school day is among the shortest for teachers in the nation.

Heritage's Jason Richwine and the American Enterprise Institute's Andrew Biggs did an extensive study of teacher compensation and followed up with additional discussion of controversial issues. When it comes to teacher pay, Richwine sums up:

Because the average public-school teacher already receives above-market compensation, policymakers should avoid across-the-board pay raises. Instead, they should focus on rewarding high-quality teachers with targeted salary increases.

Of course, teacher compensation is much more than just wages. Part of Chicago Public Schools' financial problems is the guaranteed pensions for retired teachers. Richwine explains that these defined-benefit plans, which cost several times more than the typical retirement plan in the private sector, are a bad deal for taxpayers:

Since benefits accruing to today's workers need not be paid now, states can promise generous benefits without feeling the full fiscal impact for years or even decades. Benefits to workers are guaranteed, meaning taxpayers are ultimately responsible for any shortfalls in their states' pension systems—and there are many shortfalls.

The Chicago strike, highlighting the urgent need for education reform, comes at a time when lack of confidence in public schools is at an all-time high—and support for school choice is also at an all-time high. Is it any wonder?

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Obama’s NLRB Gets Smacked Down: District Court Rules Arizona’s Secret-Ballot Amendment Is Constitutional

You may recall back in 2010, when Barack Obama’s union-appointees at the National Labor Relations Board began showing their true union colors, voters in Arizona, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah passed secret-ballot amendments to their state constitutions as a preemptive measure to thwart the Obama Administration’s (and unions’) efforts to pass legislation calling for unionization without elections. (link)

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Unions Rally at School Board meeting of 2/14/2012

Supporters Rally for the SEIU and Unions. 

No Valentine's Day Love for Register. 

 

School Board Meetings can be very boring. This was not a boring meetings. A large crowd packed the February 14th School Board meeting, the majority there to protest the Metro School Board's cancellation of the 12-year-old Memorandum of Understanding with the unions. This School Board meeting was the first since the  Metro Council meeting in which the Council voted 29-5 to urge Register to comply with the district’s current labor negotiation policy.

Elected officials attending the meeting included Representatives Mike Steward, Sherry Jones, Mike Turner, Gary Moore, Janice Sontany, Brenda Gillmore, and Council Members Jason Potts, Karen Johnson, Davette Blalock, Scott Davis, Fabian Bedne and Brady Banks.

Unlike the Metro Council meetings which strictly prohibit the display of signs in the chamber, the crowd at the School Board meeting were allowed to display signs and union supporters waved red valentine-like signs that said "Have a heart." Also, unlike the Council meetings which discourages applause and outburst, applause and cheering was permitted.

The "Public Participation" portion of the School Board meeting had a large number of people wanted to speak. Speakers were limited to three minutes. (It starts at 18:17 in the video.) A couple speakers spoke about school reassignment request for their child and such matters but all of the others were there to speak about the School Board's termination of the Memorandum of Understanding. All speaking on this issue were speaking in favor of the unions with the exception of Councilman Steve Glover. Speakers worth noting are these:

• Pastor Don Beisswenger, a retired Vanderbilt Divinity School professor known for his civil disobedience and involvement in left wing causes, was the first speaker speaking in favor of the unions. 
• Jim Buckley of the United Steel Workers (23:09) takes the opportunity to slam Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin and refused to abide by the three minute time limit and keeps talking after being told his time was up. 
• Doug Collier, President of SEIU Local 205 (32:00) complains that he has filed a formal complaint with the board and has yet to receive a reply. He also takes issue with Metro Councilmember and former School Board Member Steve Glover's interpretation of the Director's authority to set district policy. 
• Representative Gary Moore, who is also President of the Tennessee AFL-CIO calls for cooperation and open dialogue to settle issues (35:27). 
• Representative Brenda Gilmore (36:48). 
• Representative Mike Turner (39:17) 
• James Brown speaks out about the new employee handbook restrictions (41:40). 
• Former Council Member Vivian Wilhoite (45:00). 
• Councilman and former School Board Member Steve Glover (1:08:42) explains the sequence of events that led to the current situation and why the Director of Schools was correct in following the law and acting within their policies. His comments were met with boos. 

What will happen next? Register, after this public hearing told reporters that he doesn’t plan to change his position on unions. I think most people think Jesse Register has been a good Director of Schools. However, I wonder if by standing up to the unions he has been too bold and made too many enemies. Are his days numbered?

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SEIU announces protest at Metro school board meeting | Nashville City Paper

The City Paper, Monday, February 13, 2012 at 1:16pm By Joey Garrison

Unhappy with Director of Schools Jesse Register’s unwavering stance on unions, the Nashville chapter of the Service Employees International Union has planned a protest prior to Tuesday’s Metro school board meeting.
The rally, which SEIU Local 205 says will feature elected officials, parents and local clergy, kicks off at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday outside the central office on Bransford Avenue. (Read more:SEIU announces protest at Metro school board meeting | Nashville City Paper)

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Another Update: What is on the 02-07-2012 Council Agenda? School Unions and John Arriola

Will Council Say No to Jessie Register's standing up to School Unions?  Will Council Say Arriola, you gotta go!

Will Council say Jessie, Don't bust the Unions?
A late resolution has been introduced by Councilman Bo Mitchell, the most pro labor union member of the Metro Council,  that would urge the Metro School Board and the Director of Schools Jesse Register  to abide by the current labor negotiation policy.

As reported in the City Paper, The School Board currently has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Unions concerning labor negotiations which Register says is not binding. This year, the State of Tennessee passed a new law that stripped teachers’ unions of their ability to bargain collectively. Mitchell says the law applied only to "certified" personnel and was not applicable to unions representing support personnel.

This is the same argument that Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 205 made on January 13th when they filed a complaint with the school board. "This is not a dispute over wages, funding, or benefits" said Doug Collier when filing that complaint. "Last year, the state legislature passed laws which affected teachers' right to bargain collectively. Dr. Register is now trying to use those laws – which do not apply to school support employees - as an excuse to overreach his authority and silence the voices of thousands of loyal city employees who voted to form a union." (See: Complaint filed against Metro schools director.)

I am not sure that the question of whether or not the law stripping teachers unions of their ability to bargain collectively applies to other school personnel is even relevant. Other public sector unions, as far as I can tell, never had that right written into state law in the first place. The more relevant question maybe whether or not our current MOU with the unions is a binding agreement that can be terminated by one party.

One of the more conservative members of the Council to whom I talked to today, said that he is uncertain if the MOU is a contract or not.  If the MOU is in fact a contract and by Register suspending it the city would be liable for violating a contract and face a law suite we are likely to lose, he said he would have to support Mitchell's resolution.  Whether or not the MOU is a contract is a fact yet to be determined. As reported in the City Paper, Register is very clear in saying the MOU is not a binding agreement. Unless the MOU is a binding contract,  I would have to vote to stand with the Director of Schools. If that cannot be determined at this time, then this resolution should not be passed but time should be given to make that determination.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the United Steelworkers are the unions involved in this dispute. In this year's elections the SEIU endorsed a broad range of candidates, not just liberal Democrats. Conservative and independent minded members of the Council endorsed by SEIU included Tim Garrett, Robert Duvall, Duane Dominy, Emily Evans, and Davette Blalock. (To see who the SEIU endorsed, click here.) Union members vote heavily in Council elections and can mobilize their relatives and friends and can exercise considerable clout. I hope members of the Council do not buckle to the Unions.

I hope members of the Council have the fortitude to stand up to the Unions and stand with Director of Schools Register. According to Council rules, a late resolution can be stopped if two members object. They should object. There is no crisis that requires a late resolution. Let this resolution be introduced following the normal procedures and give the council time to deliberate and get all the facts.

 Arriola you gotta go!
The most interesting item on the agenda will probably be RESOLUTION NO. RS2012-158 by Councilman Robert Duvall calling on John Arriola to resign. It is only a memorializing resolution which means it expresses the will of the council but is non-binding. Last year the council rejected this resolution.

Arriola is under investigation by the District Attorney's office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and a recent audit revealed massive irregularities and questionably practices in the office. The most troublesome issue surrounding Arriola is his charging a $40 fee to perform marriages and pocketing the money.

Robert Duvall is to be commended for pushing this resolution. It this does not pass, I will be totally disgusted with our Metro Council. This is a vote that will tell us a lot about the Council: who is for defending the good 'ole boy system of political corruption and who favors honest government. I don't know how anyone can spin this any other way. To read the full text of the resolution click here.

Get your own copy of the Agenda and Analysis: 

You can find the agenda at the link: Metro Council Agenda. And,  the analysis at this link: Metro Council Analysis. The council meeting are less boring if you have an agenda and an analysis, not that they are still not boring, but they are less boring.

Other issues worth watching:

Ana Page is to be confirmed as a Mayor's appointee to the Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency for a term expiring November 5, 2014. These appointees to boards and commission are usually routine and I expect this one will be also. The thing that makes this appointment noteworthy is that Ms Page is a former member of the Metro Council who was defeated for reelection by Councilman Tony Tenpenny. She was only one of two incumbents seeking reelection to the Council that was not reelected in the last council election. The Mayor's office supported Page. It seems like an unfriendly act on the part of the Mayor to appoint a sitting councilman's former and possibly future opponent to a position of influence.

RESOLUTION NOS. RS2012-136 & RS2012-137 are on the consent agenda so most likely will pass with no discussion and I bet, if truth be known, there is not a council member up there who really knows what they are voting on. I may sound like I understand this but am still vague on how all of this works.

These two resolutions appropriate $600, 000, $300,000 each, ultimately to two different entities. The money is appropriated from the Capitol Mall Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) to MDHA for the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and ServiceSource.

One interesting thing about this is that the money has to be spend in a “pocket of poverty” areas of the Metropolitan Government. Now, if you are familiar with downtown, think about the boundries of this "pocket of poverty:" The Capitol Mall pocket of poverty includes basically the heart of the downtown area bordered by 2nd and 4th Avenues to the east, Union Street to the north, 8th Avenue to the west, and Peabody Street to the south. Think about those boundaries. That has got to be some of the richest poverty areas I have ever seen! If you want to try to understand this, look at the analysis and good luck.

Every Resolution on the agenda is on the consent agenda which means they have received anonymous approval in committee and will be voted on as a group instead of individually.

ORDINANCE NO. BL2011-83 by Councilman Stanley which is on second reading would allow Metro to extend water lines to homes using private wells. Currently, if one wants to extend a water line to ones property, it is at one's own expense. The director of finance was unable to certify that funds are available to implement this ordinance. Fiscal watchdogs in the Council may have a problem with this bill. I hope there is an explanation of why we would deviate from a long-standing prudent fiscally-sound policy.

ORDINANCE NO. BL2011-91 which is on second reading would require a  fiscal impact statements to be prepared for legislation pending with the council, other than zoning ordinances and non-binding memorializing resolutions. The fiscal note is to include a dollar estimate of the anticipated change in revenue, expenditures, or fiscal liability associated with the resolution or ordinance. 

This is a good move. Council needs to know what something will cost before they vote on it.  However, Council should not let a fiscal note replace good judgement. As we see at the state and federal level, an estimate of cost is a static estimate and changes in expenditures and tax rates are often dynamic. A "saving" may cost more elsewhere or later and an increase in tax rates can sometimes lead to less revenue to the government rather than more.

ORDINANCE NO. BL2011-82 on third reading creates a means whereby Metro can accept unfinished infrastructure. When a developer develops a subdivision, he is supposed to complete the streets to an acceptable standard before Metro will accept them. There are several developments around town, where the developer went broke or the developer just abandoned the project and the streets were never completed. The developer is supposed to post a bond or secure a letter of credit which would insure that if the developer does go broke or abandon the project, Metro has the funds to complete the project. That did not always work out as planned. This bill establishes a procedure whereby, under certain circumstances, Metro can accept the incomplete streets and complete the development. This will set the stage for finishing the streets and infrastructure such as sidewalks and drainage systems in several subdivisions where the infrastructure was never completed. 

I am disappointing that this bill was not publicly discussed on second reading. I would like to know who screwed up and cost the city millions of dollars and have assurances that the problem has been fixed.

I had thought this meeting would be super short and super boring, but the the resolution calling on Arriola to resign and the resolution supporting the SEIU, may make this a good meeting. 

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West Nashville Breakfast Summit Guest is Bill Gimmell, Oct. 15th

DCRP-Davidson County Republican Party  Breakfast Summit, Saturday, October 15, 2011 RISE AND SHINE FOR THE WEST NASHVILLE EGGS AND BACON SUMMIT Meeting at  Shoney's 365 White Bridge Pike, Nashville Saturday, October 15, 2011 Fellowship, Dutch Treat Breakfast 8:30 AM, meeting 9:00 AM

Special Guest    Bill Gemmill  Executive Director Professional Educators of TN  (PET) Bill will discuss the No Child Left Behind and the changes taking place in the Educational Field. PET is an option for Teachers who opt out of the Teachers Union. Moderator - Matt Nemeth Regional Vice Chairman - Lonnie Spivak

Join our mailing list! www.Davidsoncountygop.org/party

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Exempt Obama's Jobs bill from Davis-Bacon

Today, Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson responded to Barack Obama's call for an infrastructure bank:

Barack Obama's call for an infrastructure bank could be worth looking at, but only if all such spending is specifically exempt from Davis-Bacon union wage guarantees, and is accompanied by off-setting spending reductions elsewhere in the bloated budget. Otherwise, it will just be a payout to Obama's big labor political allies in the midst of the worst sovereign debt crisis in history.

This is a great idea! I hope Republicans do not reject President Obama's proposal outright. After he reveals how his proposal is to be funded, I hope Congress will use his proposal as a starting point to create something that will get American's back to work. Republicans in Congress, however, should not accept that spending now will be off set by spending cuts in future years. One Congress cannot bind the spending decisions of the next Congress. While I hope to see Obama defeated as much as anyone, I think President Obmaba is right and we cannot wait 18 months to try and address the unemployment crisis. Also, America's infrastructure is falling apart and their is road and bridge and sewer work that must be addressed and cannot be put off forever.

If Obama is serious about getting Americans back to work and his speech was nothing more than campaign posturing, then he should readily agree to remove Davis-Bacon from any jobs bill. In Nashville, Davis Bacon requires a wage of $12.94 for painters and sandblasters. I bet that in today's economy a contractor could get painters for considerably less than that. Why should the federal government, rather than the market, decide the wage rate paid for every position on a construction project? Exempt projects from Davis-Bacon, put more people to work and get more accomplished for the same amount of money.

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Hoffa: Time to "take out" members of the tea party.

While warming up the crowd for President Obama's in Detroit, Michigan on Monday, Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa said it was time to kill members of the tea party! Here is his remarks:

We got to keep an eye on the battle that we face: The war on workers. And you see it everywhere, it is the Tea Party. And you know, there is only one way to beat and win that war. The one thing about working people is we like a good fight. And you know what? They've got a war, they got a war with us and there's only going to be one winner. It's going to be the workers of Michigan, and America. We're going to win that war.

President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march. Let's take these son of bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong.

That is not symbolic language; that is not subtle.  To "take out" means nothing less than to kill someone. Coming from a Teamster labor union leader, saying it is time to "take out" someone should not be taken lightly. Did President Obama chastise him?  Did President Obama say, "we do not endorse murder as a way to settle our differences in America. We defeat our enemies at the ballot box?" No, he did not!

Shame on President Obama for allowing this call to murder his opponents go unchallenged. His failure to denounce, indicates his agreement. 

When Hoffa said it is time to "take out" the Tea Party and the President does not lecture him on restraining himself, then we have reason to be concerned. This may cause members of the Tea Party to start arming themselves for self defense? This may result in the stockpiling weapons? If a tea party spokesman had said it was time to "take out" the President, what would be the response?

Since this declaration of war on members of the tea party has been made, I just hope no loose screw in the tea party decides to take out the President before the Obamanistas can take out the tea party. Before something terrible happens, Hoffa needs to apologize and the President needs to make clear that he does not endorse killing members of the political opposition.

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The Lesson from Wisconsin? If We Don’t Surrender, Democrats Lose!

This is an excellent analysis of the Wisconsin recall election from The Blue Collar Muse. 


Last night’s recall votes in Wisconsin were both historic and profound. Historic in that Progressives redefined yet another political feature; the recall. Now it is a club with which to savage politicians for a vote you don’t like. Profound in its implications for the 2012 elections.

The record is clear in Wisconsin. For decades, public sector unions have enjoyed collective bargaining resulting, as always, in increased costs to taxpayers. The overall damage to Wisconsin was ignored until voters woke up and elected a Republican Governor who promised fiscal reform and specifically campaigned on these sorts of issues for years. Scott Walker was elected and Democrats lost.(link)

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Wisconsin Holds the Line

I was worried about the Wisconsin recall election. Last night I flipped channels looking for a report of what was happening. The election was not covered on Fox or CNN. MSNBC carried it live with cheering unionist in the background. Not trusting the MSNBC spin, I anxiously awaited news from Wisconsin. A loss in Wisconsin would have been a major reversal for the tea party movement. The failure to feature the Wisconsin election as an important event, I took for a bad omen. Failure to cover the story by Fox, I took as an indication it must not be going well. I was relieved to learn this morning that we held Wisconsin. The counter revolution failed! I am reproducing this report from The Hermitage Foundation.

The liberal political machine was in full throttle. Millions of dollars in campaign ads streamed on TV. An army of union workers descended on the state in a massive grassroots voter mobilization effort. But when the dust settled, the smoke cleared, and the votes were counted, the conservative majority that swept into Wisconsin last November remained intact last night despite an unprecedented recall effort designed to bring an end to Governor Scott Walker's reforms.

Yesterday in Wisconsin, Democrats tried to recall six GOP senators in an attempt to gain a foothold in the state's legislature—they lost in four of the races, failing to regain a majority in the state senate. Those losses came despite a $14 million effort waged by unions and liberal groups from across the country, including the AFL-CIO, UAW, AFSCME, MoveOn.org, Teamsters, UFCW, NEA, SEIU, and People for the American Way.

The recalls marked the latest battle in the war between liberals and conservatives being waged in the birthplace of American progressivism, and once again, progressivism lost. And it's no wonder.

In last November's election, the Tea Party surge brought new conservative voices to Wisconsin's state government, and under the leadership of Governor Walker, a new way of thinking took hold in the state's capital. Wisconsin faced the fourth highest tax burden in the country, the state carried a $3 billion structural deficit, and unions had a monopoly on power. In June, Heritage's James Sherk explained just how sweet of a deal the state's unions had:

Government employees in Wisconsin paid just 6 percent of their health care premiums and next to nothing for generous pensions, and the average teacher in Milwaukee makes $101,000 a year. Government union contracts also require layoffs to occur on the basis of seniority. Long-time government employees can rest assured that they will never get laid off.

Enter Governor Walker's sweeping reforms, including a new budget and a new collective bargaining law restraining the unions' power. His proposals woke the unions from their sated slumber, spurring massive protests that shut down the state's capitol, and14 Wisconsin senate Democrats fled to Illinois where they hid out for more than three weeks in an attempt to block the law. Ultimately, the reforms passed, they survived legal challenges, and now the state is reaping the benefits.

As America continues to struggle with unemployment, Wisconsin added a net of 9,500 new jobs in June — more than half the 18,000 created nationwide. Meanwhile, neighboring Illinois lost 7,200 jobs in June--and the state's government is pursuing the well-worn liberal path of drastically higher taxes in order to combat crippling deficits. Heritage's Rob Bluey reports on Wisconsin's new-found success:

Wisconsin’s resurgence comes after three years of job losses — more than 150,000 jobs were lost in the three years before Walker became governor. Since he took office in January, the state has added 39,300 private-sector jobs. That puts Walker on pace to exceed his goal of 250,000 new jobs in four years.

In Wisconsin, the voters took notice. In a state that Barack Obama won handily in 2008, where unions have a historical stronghold, and where millions were spent to halt the tide of conservatism, the movement toward reform continues. Last night's recall elections show that the Tea Party wave, even in the bluest of states, is no fluke.

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Central Labor Council Endorsements for Metro Council

The Central Labor Council has released their list of Council endorsements.  There are no surprises. A candidate endorsed by the Central Labor Council probably promised to support prevailing wage and living wage and advocates increased government spending. I have not seen the questionnaires and am not privy to the questions asked in the interview so I do not know that for certain, but an endorsement by the Central Labor Council is not a good recommendation as far as I am concerned.

Below is the list of endorsement:

Mayor                          Karl Dean
Vice-Mayor                   Diane Neighbors
Council-at-large            Megan Barry                       
Council-at-large            Tim Garrett           
Council-at-large            Jerry Maynard                       
Council-at-large            Ronnie Steine                       
Council-at-large            Vivian Wilhoite   

District 1    Lonnell Matthews Jr.
District 2    Frank Harrison
District 3    Walter Hunt
District 4    Brady Banks
District 5    Scott Davis
District 6    No endorsement
District 7    Anthony Davis
District 7    Randy Reed
District 8    Nancy Van Reece
District 9    No endorsement
District 10  Doug Pardue
District 11  Darren Jernigan
District 12  No endorsement
District 13  Marilyn Robinson
District 14  James Bruce Stanley
District 15  No endorsement
District 16  Anna Page
District 17  Sandra Moore
District 18  Burkley Allen
District 18  David Glasgow
District 19  Erica Gilmore
District 20  Buddy Baker
District 21  Edith Langster
District 22  Seanna Brandmeir
District 23  No endorsement
District 24  Jason Holleman
District 25  Sean McGuire
District 26  Chris Harmon
District 27  No endorsement
District 28  Tanaka Vercher
District 29   Karen Johnson
District 30  No endorsement
District 31  Fabian Bedne
District 32  Markeith Braden

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Maggart Still Prefers Collective Bargaining Ban

 May 10, 2011

Despite her recent move to revert to a weaker version of a ban on collective bargaining among Tennessee teachers, she said she'd still prefer to fully ban collective bargaining.



Tennessee State Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, says a plan to ban collective bargaining among teachers may have 50 votes in the House, but if it doesn't it, the two chambers may have to hash their differences out.

House Reverts to Scaled Back Collective Bargaining Plan

by Andrea Zelinski on May 11, 2011

House Republicans are, for now, sticking with a bill that limits labor union influence in teacher contract negotiations with local school boards.
But even though House Bill 130 doesn’t entirely eliminate formal collective bargaining, Democrats suspect that’s the direction things are headed once the bill reaches the House floor.
A House Education Committee voted 11-6 Tuesday to advance a measure that restricts the issues teachers’ unions can haggle with school districts over. The unions could negotiate issues such as pay, benefits and working conditions but could not bargain over issues including merit pay — for example, when teachers get paid extra to work at troubled schools.(link)

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Bill to end union contracts passes Senate

The Tennessee General Assembly
Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey

Bill to end union contracts passes Senate

  Measure increases collaboration between local school boards and teachers

(Nashville) – Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R – Blountville) emphasized his ongoing support for Senate Bill 113, a crucial piece of education reform legislation sponsored by Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) which passed on the floor of the Senate last night by a vote of 18 to 14.

The bill cleared the Senate committee system two times after being amended to make explicit the increased collaboration the bill fosters between teachers and their local school boards.

“Union contracts have hamstrung our local school boards for too long,” said Lt. Governor Ramsey. “More than a year ago our state raced to the top and planted our flag as a beacon for education reform in the nation -- but our journey is not over.”

“In 1978 the General Assembly gave a monopoly to one government union and allowed that union to strangle the hope of education reform in this state,” said Sen. Jack Johnson. “This bill rectifies that mistake and gives power back to locally-elected school boards and teachers. The passage of this measure is necessary if we mean to continue on the path of education reform we have embarked upon.”

“We have a historic opportunity to make this session of the General Assembly a landmark for the cause of reform. This bill creates a collaborative environment between teachers and their local board which will ultimately result in putting a quality teacher in every classroom.”

“This bill has been debated extensively and amended effectively,” Lt. Governor Ramsey continued. “I’m proud of the Senate for passing this measure and I trust the state House will follow suit.”

The bill as amended will end long term union contracts that local governments and taxpayers cannot afford and provides for a policy manual that would outline how every local school board will set policies on salaries, wages, benefits, including insurance and retirement benefits, leaves of absence, student discipline procedures and working conditions for teachers.

The companion House bill sponsored by Rep. Debra Maggart (R-Hendersonville) is currently awaiting action in the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

Comment: I am proud of Lt.  Governor Ramsey, Senator Johnson and Rep. Maggart and our Republican State legislators. Elections do have consequences.  

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Mike Turner: "Gov. Haslam, if you're listening, please stop this terrorism against our teachers."

Mike Turner: "Gov. Haslam, if you're listening, please stop this terrorism against our teachers."

What? Mike, Mike, please tone down the rhetoric. "Terrorism?"  That is not helpful. No one is sitting off car bombs outside the teacher's lounge. No one is fire bombing teacher's homes. No one is assassinating teachers. No one is beating up teachers.

Terrorism? We are talking about ending collective bargaining rights for public school teachers and ending guaranteed lifetime employment and such things as that. You may disagree, but is that terrorism against teachers? Most people do not have those benefits. To curtail these privileges so we can have educational innovation and and get rid of bad teachers and advance good teachers is hardly terrorism. Is it?

Here is a common accepting definition of terrorism: The calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear.

Now Mike, Governor Haslam seems like a nice man. If someone was committing terrorism against teachers, I am sure it would not be with the approval of Governor Haslam or within his power to stop it. You are implying that this supposed terrorism you see  is being done with Haslam'a approval.

Mike, I am sure that when the adrenaline is flowing and you are speaking to a cheering crowd it is easy to let yourself get carried away and say things that you really did not mean to say. Maybe you wish you would have chosen your words more carefully.

Mike I hope your constituents will help you see the errors of you way and let you know they do not appreciate such inflammatory rhetoric. They can contact you at 301 6th Avenue North Suite 17 Legislative Plaza Nashville, TN 37243, Phone (615) 741-3229, rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov and do so.

Mike, what you are doing might incite violence. Now, the teachers at the event on Saturday, while passionate, did not look like they were that prone to violence. Most of them looked like .... Well, they looked like teachers. However, some of those union steelworkers and the pipe fitters looked a little dangerous. Please don't incite them to violence.

Mike, I think you owe Governor Haslam and the people of Tennessee an apology for your use of inflammatory rhetoric. Please, in the future do not further inflame passions. As an elected leader you should act more responsibly.

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Tea vs TEA: Dueling rallies

Tea party leader Ken Marrero addresses the education reform rally,
while anti-tax activist Ben Cunningham looks on.

Today in Nashville, hundreds of pro-union demonstrators from across the state marched in the rain through downtown Nashville and then rallied in Legislative Plaza. They were rallying to show solidarity with the Tennessee Education Associations and protest pending legislation that would restrict union tenure and end collective bargaining for public sector teachers.

Meanwhile, a pro education reform rally took place on the east steps of the capitol on the hill above the plaza. The unionist rally probably outnumbered the Tea Party education reform rally by about three to one. The union sponsored rally had bussed people in from across Tennessee and included members of the machinist union, pipefitters and various other unions.   

It is doubtful either rally had much impact since the legislators are not in town on Saturday. Both rallies featured speeches, signs, and sing-alongs. I participated in the Tea Party education reform rally and observed the unionist parade and rally from the sidewalk and the hill above the Plaza. Here are pictures from both rallies.

The TEA Party Pro Union Rally

SECOND CELL

The Tea Party Education Reform Rally

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