March 10, 2009

Ross votes against salary raises for exempt union employees, again

Citing the high state unemployment rate and governor's salary freeze for all state employees, Rep. Charles Ross, R-Naches, voted against a measure to exempt some employees from the salary freeze.

House Bill 2267, passed 61-34, would provide an exception to the governor's rejection of union pay raises. The pay freeze would save money in the state's operating budget, now expected to have an $8 billion shortfall.

"Private industry laid off 60,000 employees in four months last year, while at the same time state government continued to grow by almost 2,000 positions. In the last two months alone, we’ve lost 25,728 jobs in this state. That is 443 families a day, who are wondering why pay increases to state union employees are more important than providing tax relief to their employers who, with deep regrets but no options, just handed them a pink slip," Ross said.

"The governor put a freeze on pay raises for a reason: we need to find serious savings in our budget, not add to the problem," Ross said.

Ross noted the bill has no fiscal note, but would have 'indeterminate' costs to higher education.

"We have no idea how much this will cost our colleges and universities," Ross said. "They're suffering like every other sector, and now they have to raise salaries for some employees while they're looking at laying off others."

The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration. 

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