League of Women Voters of Darke County...
Issue 2 Forum to be held October 19
Submitted by Anne Vehre, Board of Directors  
October  12,, 2011 

The League of Women Voters of Darke County will hold a public forum to address the pros and cons of Ohio Senate Bill 5, which will be Issue 2 on the November 8, 2011, ballot.  The forum will be held in the American Legion Hall, 325 North Ohio Street, Greenville, on Wednesday, October 19 at 7 p.m.  Anyone interested in finding out more about this controversial bill is welcome to attend and is encouraged to ask questions. 

Speaking in favor of the bill will be Ohio Representative Jim Buchy (R).  Joining him will be a member of Building a Better Ohio, who is as yet to be named.  Speaking against the bill will be Darke County Engineer Jim Surber (D).  Joining him will be Lloyd Nolan of We Are Ohio, who was a former executive officer of the Glass, Molders, Pottery and Allied Workers Association.  

Even before the bill was approved by the Ohio Senate, controversy surrounded it.  In addition to revising the process for contract disputes by limiting union arbitration, it gives state and local elected officials the authority to resolve contract disputes with public employees. It also sets up legislation requiring public employees to receive pay increases and entitlements based on merit rather than longevity as well as requiring them to pay more for their health insurance, which would be comparable to payments made by the private sector. 

As a result, thousands of angry public employees -- including police, fire fighters, health workers and teachers -- are protesting the bill, claiming it will limit their collective bargaining rights, pay raises, and longevity entitlements while increasing costs for their health care and other benefits. They are asking how fair arbitrations can be conducted by state and local elected officials, who are influenced more by partisan politics than public interests. And, they are asking why public employees are being blamed for state budget woes when politicians are funneling over a hundred million dollars in tax breaks to their corporate campaign contributors as was aired in their recent “We Are Ohio campaign.”  Because of this campaign, they have not only been able to collect petitions with over one million signatures against Senate Bill 5, but they were able to get the bill on the ballot in November for public vote and possible repeal.

Not to be out done, supporters of the bill started a campaign of their own and have named it Building a Better Ohio. Dedicated to promoting what they call the reasonable reforms of Senate Bill 5, members of this group claim it makes fair and common sense requests of government employees.  In addition, they say it will give local communities the flexibility they need to get taxes and spending under control while providing the essential services upon which its citizens rely. It would thus create more money to pay off debts and improve Ohio’s economy. It would also pave the way to better schools with more competent teachers, who will be judged on their competency rather than their length of employment.  They claim it will also usher in a more efficient public work force. 

While both Ohio groups are facing off with expensive advertising campaigns and conflicting claims, there is only one way to know what is actually in the bill, and that is to read it from cover to cover. Unfortunately, the bill originally contained 500 pages, which have increased to 599 with amendments.  This is not a short read for a big decision. As a result, many voters will cast their votes according to what they have heard or read via the news media or by word of mouth.  Because of this, the League of Women Voters is inviting the public to take the opportunity to hear both sides of Senate Bill 5 so they can cast a vote for what they think is best for Ohio.