Oceanside pol to Steinberg: Fix your own mess and leave us alone
March 22, 2013
By Chris Reed
Veteran Sacramento watchers are so used to Democratic state lawmakers contorting themselves to please unions that almost nothing comes as a surprise any more. It’s what they do. It’s a puppet/puppet master relationship. Some are so subservient they’ll even support unions if it means kids will die.
Nevertheless, I really I enjoyed the indignation of Oceanside Councilman Jerome Kern in his U-T San Diego op-ed over the out-of-left-field attempts by the Legislature to unconstitutionally interfere with charter cities:
“While the federal government and the state of California demonstrate that they are incapable of producing a balanced budget or reining in runaway spending, governments in California charter cities have taken the initiative and explored opportunities to cut costs for taxpayers and encourage economic growth and job creation in their communities. One of the most noticeable ways that charter cities work to reduce spending and increase revenue is to exempt themselves from paying costly state-mandated prevailing wage rates.
“This ability to control cost is now under attack by the California Legislature with the introduction of SB 7 by Senate President Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. SB 7 would prohibit a charter city from receiving or using state funding for any construction project if the charter city elects not to pay the unrealistic state-determined wages on self-funded projects as well. This bill is a direct assault on charter cities and conflicts with the California Supreme Court’s decision in a case involving Vista where the court held that setting wage rates on locally funded projects is a municipal affair and the state has no jurisdiction on the internal affairs of the charter cities. …
“This measure would establish an alarming trend for the future. It would be granting the state the authority to micromanage charter city laws and policies through the tactic of withholding state funds as political leverage to force changes to charters and local ordinances. The out-of-control special interests that now rule the state Legislature would then have control of our cities as well.”
The least credible government efficiency expert imaginable
Kern makes the key point very well that Steinberg simply has no standing or credibility when it comes to trying to tell any other government how to run its affairs:
“It is the height of hypocrisy that a state government that has repeatedly demonstrated failure to manage its own affairs (witness the revelation of multiple slush funds held by agencies that they oversee and the dumping of state prison inmates back on city streets) can dictate to cities how to manage their internal affairs.
“This is the same legislative body that has made almost a conscious effort to drive business out of the state. It is as if they have run out of targets to destroy in the private sector and are now turning their sights on the cities to see how many charter cities they can punish.”
What’s funny is that the analysis on the official state LegInfo.com site pretty strongly hints that SB 7 violates a clearly written ruling of the California Supreme Court.
But that doesn’t matter one whit to Steinberg, given the listed supporters of the measure:
AFL-CIO (Sponsor)
Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, AFL-CIO
California Chapters of the National Contractors Association
California Labor Federation
California Legislative Conference of the Plumbing, Heating and Piping Industry
California Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association
California State Council of Laborers
Carpet Linoleum & Soft Tile Workers Local Union No. 12
Cement Masons Local Union No. 500
Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council
District Council 16 Local Union 294
Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare Counties Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO
Glaziers, Architectural Metal and Glass Workers Union, Local 718, of San Francisco
Imperial County Building Trades and 16 Affiliate Unions
International Brotherhood Electrical Workers
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 234
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union No. 340
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Local Union 376
Kern, Inyo and Mono Counties Building and Constructions Trades Council
Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council
Northern California Carpenters Regional Council
Painters & Allied Trades District Council 36
Painters & Allied Trades Local # 3
Painters & Drywall Finishers Local 741 District Council 16
Painters & Drywall Finishers Local Union 913
Painters and Drywall Finishers Local 83
Plaster Tenders of Southern California Local Union 1414
Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union # 230
Plumbers, Steamfitters and Refrigeration Fitters Local Union #467
San Diego County Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO
San Mateo County Building & Construction Trades Council
Santa Clara & San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, Transportation Workers Local Union 105
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry Underground Utility/Landscape Local 355
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States Local Union 114
Ventura County Plumbers and Pipefitters local # 484
Darrell Steinberg is no more likely to say no to this bunch then he is to someone holding a gun to the back of his head. The Senate president knows his place.
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