A PETITION

Addressed to:

The Rhode Island General Assembly

by

The Citizens of the Great State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

This letter is respectfully addressed to the members of the Rhode Island General Assembly. It is submitted with full recognition that the taxpayers of Rhode Island have already suffered irreparable harm, and would inevitably be further burdened by an unprecedented shifting of power toward union-oriented partiality. It is in this spirit that those who have signed this petition hereby demand that House Billl 5762 be voted down.

Whereas,
Following expiration of any labor contract, and after bargaining to impasse, the designated officials of a town are expected to implement a program of cost-saving reforms affecting pay and benefits, required by law to prevent deficit spending;
and

Whereas,
Any action by the aforesaid entity is urgently needed to save a town or city from tribulations up to and including bankruptcy, to avoid crushing tax increases, and to re-focus spending on the needs of the town;
and

Whereas,
public employee unions wield enormous power in Rhode Island, and do not hesitate to use that power to influence decisions in the General Assembly, the courts, and in administrative proceedings. And, inasmuch as it is not unusual for R.I. state government and courts to interpret and apply the law against the interests of the general public in favor of well-connected political insiders;
and

Whereas,
we believe the General Assembly to be in a conflict of interest, since there are a number of members who belong to unions that would stand to benefit; and

Whereas,
The General Assembly has already delegated to cities and towns the duty, responsibility, and power to decide how to allocate limited public resources to implement educational policies in a manner that does not result in deficit spending; and

Whereas,
Title 28-9.3-4, for instance, explicitly limits the term of teachers’ contracts to a maximum of three years for the purpose of allowing cities and towns to determine their specific needs and implement changes to serve their citizens on a case by case basis; and

Whereas,
the overall equities and the public interest compel the defeat of House Billl 5762

Therefore,
in light of the General Assembly’s obligation to defend the best interests of the citizens of Rhode Island, and the obvious inequities inherent in the legislation, we, the undersigned, request that House Billl 5762 be unanimously defeated.

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