The U-T recently ran a guest op-ed touting all the benefits to society of mandated prevailing wage contracts — which jack up the price of public works projects 15%-30% (not counting the inefficiencies of union work rules). But it was fraudulently presented.
This piece was authored by some flunky from the “Middle Class Taxpayers Association.” It’s a bogus outfit (though well funded).
Any cursory check reveals this is a front group completely funded by the local labor unions and liberal foundations. The U-T fails to disclose this. And therein lies the fraud.
Aside from the obvious financial ties, there’s the personnel — interchangeable with the labor union staff. But even more damning is the answer to this simple question: Has this outfit EVER opposed a tax increase? EVER? As far as I can find, the answer is “no”! They even support sales tax increases, which impact the low to middle class more than other taxes. So here we have a “taxpayer” group which only SUPPORTS tax increases (bonds too, of course). Some taxpayer group!!
There’s nothing wrong with the U-T for presenting these silly arguments from the labor unions. But they should have been honest about WHO was presenting these arguments. A taxpayer group it most definitely is NOT.