The Morning Report
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Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006 | The mighty Jerry Sanders, flush with a pocketed city pension, health benefits and a generous double-dipping salary as mayor, sits on his throne at City Hall. His queen Ronne Froman, who collects a sizeable Navy pension, health benefits and a six-figure double-dipping salary as city CEO, is loyally at his side.
Together they disdainfully glare down upon the little, insignificant city workers who dare to ask for decent wages, health care and benefits through their labor unions’ negotiations.
Sanders’ self-righteousness rises to a new high as he vows to “implement the people’s will” through Propositions B & C. He proudly proclaims that his outsourcing plan won’t require private contractors to “offer comparable wages & benefits as City workers because that defeats the purpose of saving money.”
Sanders calls Props B & C tools to reform City Hall. In reality, these tools are a hammer and club, focused on beating unions into submission and destroying civil service employment.
In the end, the cost savings of outsourcing will be nonexistent. The loyal and reliable city work force will be depleted and replaced with exploited, non-benefited and under compensated temporary workers, and the public will be the losers.
The winners will be Sanders’ political allies, reaping the benefits of his disguised political payback reward system. y the time this charade becomes apparent to voters, Sanders and Froman will have moved on to greener pastures, hauling their hefty pensions and health benefits behind them.