Weather Forecast
53°, overcast
Scal back in 2007 & 2008 while I was on the council I saw this train wreck coming and proposed a "Taxpayer Protection Plan.
The plan was made up of a series of Ordinances that would set future parameters in contract negotiations regarding benefits. I also proposed the city go to court and request a declaratory judgement because some were saving it could not be done.
That plan went no where with the conflicted former mayor and many of the council members to afraid of the unions to implement it.
fast forward to today. If you listened to Judge Flanders, the city and schools by declaring a fiscal emergency can unilaterally impose give backs such as COLA eliminations, increase healthcare cost sharing and many other needed give backs. A recent Supreme Court decision in Cranston's favor would serve as the president.
Of course union would sue. Let them. With the millions of dollars in saving, use a small portion to fight them al the way to the RI Su[preme court if necessary. maybe the unions would even come to the table with real concessions if this happened.
In the meantime, those millions of dollars can be reallocated back into programs and services in the city and school budget like school sports.
By the time all the court filings and appeals are completed I could see years elapsing whereby at that point tens of millions of dollars would have been spent on services citizens demand instead of the black hole of free lifetime healthcare and other ridiculous un-affordable retiree benefits.
And if by chance the city loses in court, the city would never be able to repay all those funds and can start to implement portions of the Fiscal Stability Act Judge Flanders so eloquently described to eliminate all those unsustainable provisions without any givebacks and new schemes that kick the can down the road, that you are advocating for.
Please explain the inappropriate content below.
