Partisan-Republican-turned-something-else Nathan Fletcher failed San Diego taxpayers yesterday by missing the Assembly floor vote on a labor union bill specifically designed to punish the City of San Diego financially. If Fletcher is truly in favor of Proposition A, and protecting taxpayer interests, he could have done no greater service to the Prop A effort and the San Diego taxpayers by voting NO on this bill.
Senate Bill 829 (Rubio) is legislation sponsored by the State Building and Trades Unions designed to restrict some state funds for construction projects in San Diego County’s eight charter cities. The bill is aimed at charter cities that enact limits on union-friendly Project Labor Agreements. The bill has serious constitutional defects and is an unprecedented attempt to interfere with the fiscal independence of the City of San Diego and the County’s other charter cities.
In June San Diegans will vote on Proposition A, the Fair and Open Competition Ordinance, that will protect taxpayers by prohibiting city politicians from imposing Project Labor Agreements on city construction contracts and will require construction contracts to be posted online for easy public review. The potential taxpayer savings from Proposition A are enormous. Experts estimate that the City can save up to 15% on construction costs if they are bid under fair and open competition.
Senate Bill 829 is intended to derail Proposition A and “persuade” City of San Diego voters to agree with organized labor or to “scare” them into voting no by the threat of losing state funds. While it is highly unlikely the courts will uphold SB829, actions outweigh rhetoric. Nathan Fletcher’s endorsement from Police Unions, his exceptionally delayed support of CPR, his lack of support against the 2010 unions’ push for a sales tax, and this latest inaction are troubling signs that candidate Fletcher is not committed to protecting taxpayers’ interest, but rather he’s aligning himself with the same unions who brought our city to financial ruin.
San Diego GOP