Democracy and the Municipal Budget: Union Interests or The Common Good?

James Bailey Brislin
The Carpet City Chronicle

The Enfield Press, May 22, 2008

“Officeholders are the agents of the people, not their masters.“
-President Grover Cleveland

No topic has garnered controversy like this year’s municipal budget. Public comment at Town Council and Board of Education meetings has been dominated by discussion of the town budget.

Following the staggering tax increases that resulted from last year’s property revaluation, citizens made clear that they could handle no more tax increases. The Tallarita administration responded to popular angst by ratifying a contract with the Enfield Teachers’ Association that promised annual wage and step increases of approximately 6%. Dissatisfaction with the Democrats’ fiscal policies and this election-eve contract negotiation helped propel Republicans to power.

Republican councilmen ran on the platform of implementing a zero-tax-increase budget. Enfield Democrats regarded this plank as a “pie-in-the-sky” election-year gimmick that the Republicans could not deliver on, especially after the ratification of the ETA contract.

To the bewilderment of the Democrats, Town Council Republicans have followed through on their promise. Last Wednesday, the Town Council approved a zero-tax-increase budget.

It seems strange that this would be a newsworthy story. Isn’t it the job of politicians to carry out the popular will? Unfortunately, politicians seldom keep their promises, and rarely do the people’s work.

To protect funding for critical programs and projects, the Council established a Board-specific CIP account and a special revenue fund. These funds were established to protect funding for textbooks, maps, technology, restoration of fourth-grade band, enhanced resources for special education, and replacing the gym floor at JFK. These funds make it possible for the Board of Education to rollover year-end surplus. Residents will be able to support these funds with donations.

Republican attempts to establish the funds were met with grandstanding and procedural stonewalling by the Democrats. Following a request from Councilman Edgar, Mayor Kaupin called the Town Attorney to verify the legality of the funds. The night of the budget vote, Edgar refused to accept Kaupin’s word and demanded a written opinion about the legality of the funds.

Councilman Kiner derided the funds as a “political ploy” to support “special interests.” Mayor Kaupin responded by stating, “I’m thrilled that I as a Republican can be tied to the special interests of textbooks, LCD carts, and repairing a gym floor that is unsafe … It’s not a ploy. Textbooks are pretty darn good special interests.” These clumsy interventions show that the Democrats have yet to master the art of minority party governance.

The zero-increase-budget is the doomsday that the Enfield Teachers’ Association spends money to avoid. Throughout the budget season, union bosses have appeared before the Board and the Council, claiming that they are not “in it for the money,” and that staffing cuts would negatively impact the children’s educational experience. This zero-increase budget forces union bosses to choose between wage concessions and layoffs. It tests the assertion, that they are not “in it for the money,” but rather are in it “for the children.” A failure to come forward with wage concessions will demonstrate the hypocrisy of these statements.

Although wage concessions are controversial, they come with the current economic climate. Ford, GM, and Chrysler have all secured major wage concession from their employees to stay in business. Town government finds itself hard-pressed to squeeze 6% wage increases out of 1% grand list growth, without significant tax increases.

One product of this budget cycle is the unmasking of the Enfield Teachers’ Association. Its close ties to Enfield Democrats were exposed by the election-eve passage of the current contract. After the election, union bosses supported a smear campaign dominated by scare tactics and threatening rhetoric. The underlying message communicated was, “If you do not do as we say, the children will suffer.” These tactics backfired on the union and highlighted its status as the chief obstacle to achieving the popular will.

This budget will have a ripple affect across the state. It shows that it is possible to take on government unions and win, especially when you have public support behind you. This will embolden political leaders in other towns to stand up to municipal unions.

Perhaps the most important affect of this budget is that it has restored power to the people. For many years, the Enfield Teachers’ Association ruled the roost in Enfield. The Town Council and Board of Education put union interests ahead of the common good. The passage of this budget shows that control of the Town Council has been returned to the people’s agents.