benefits – Granite Grok

Perspective on Government Imposed Shutdown

It is time for some perspective on government imposed shutdown. The President made an announcement. He is aiming toward Easter Sunday as the point at which to begin getting the economy going again. This is triggering heavy opposition. The debate is about how much destruction to the economy to inflict. That is simply a stupid … Read more

Did Mayor Gatsas Kick The Can Down The Road?

by Steve MacDonald

rusty can On April 11th I swung for the fences in regard to remarks by Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas and his desire to get some benefits concessions from the Teachers union to free up money in the budget..for education. In the course of those remarks I pointed out how the Mayor had boasted about an agreement with the Manchester police and that he was just looking for something similar from the Teachers union.

A day or two after I published the post I received some intersting correspondence about that agreement with the Manchester Police; that while the union had made some very public benefits concessions there may have been other deals in the contract that could cost taxpayers even more down the road. The unions may have actually come out ahead.

Tweet of the Day – Week – Ever? on Unions Vs Right to Work?

by Steve MacDonald

Fellow Grokster(ette?) Susan Olsen dropped this into our email this morning. No, not ‘the royal ‘Our’ as in the royal ‘we,’ as in ‘We are not amused.’ I mean “Our” as in our Grok group email. Anyway, this hits it out of the park on Michigan and Right to Work, and the Unions and Democrats and Obama (oh, My!), or anyone for that matter, squawking about benefits for those who accept the choice to not have to pay dues…

This guy is officially Our hero. I am embarrassed that We didn’t think of it first.

I’d Like To Give A Tax Cut To Public Sector Employees

by Steve MacDonald

As I understand it public sector employees pay taxes too. I’m quite sure I’ve heard that somewhere. So if they paid for their benefits and pensions right out of their paychecks, like most of the rest of us have to do. They’d automatically give themselves a tax cut.

The (other) Picture of The Day

by Steve MacDonald

New Hampshire may have a chart just like this one, so with any luck someone will be kind enough to provide it. Until then this shows us what Ohio Education Association Union Employees make compared to the other suckers who “also pay taxes.” A theme repeated in every state most likley. Data is supposed to be from the US Dept of Labor.

The End Of The “We Pay Taxes Too” Argument?

by Steve MacDonald

The only way it could ever be equal, is if we all paid the same taxes, and taxpayers paid nothing extra for benefits and retirement; you would have to fund pay all of your share of both at the same rates as the average private citizen.

What Changed For State Workers In Wisconsin?

by Steve MacDonald

If we ignore the change in national perception based on weeks of evidence that public union employees (and democrats) are selfish, angry, violent, children what actually changed when the Wisconsin legislature and Governor Walker succeeded in passing changes to collective bargaining?