Republican Senator Lehner and Representative Butler Defend Ohio’s SB-5 At Kettering Town Hall Meeting

<NEW!> Blog2Voice™ DaytonOS article June 6, 2011 <NEW!>

Great turnout this evening for the League of Women Voters town hall meeting on Senate Bill 5. The Assembly Hall at David’s United Church of Christ in Kettering was overflowing, SRO, with over 250 people in attendance.  At the meeting, Republicans Senator Peggy Lehner and Representative Jim Butler defended their votes for Ohio SB-5 — the legislation that curtails collective bargaining for Ohio’s public workers.

Senator Peggy Lehner defends her support of Ohio's SB-5.

Sue Hesselgesser , the new Executive Director of the Dayton chapter of the LWV, said it was the first time a “Democratic Deliberation” structure was used. The first part of the meeting, for 35 minutes or so, members of the audience had 60 seconds to ask a question. The questions were recorded on large sheets of paper at the front of the room. The second part of the meeting a panel divided between pro and con speakers addressed these questions.

Panelist Dave Parker, a union leader for Kettering firefighters, said of his fellow Kettering firefighters: “Most of us don’t think we will finish our career in the city of Kettering if SB-5 goes through.” Parker indicated that with the expected reduction in pay and benefits from SB-5, many excellent Kettering firefighters will feel they have no choice but to leave the city’s force. He spoke of the positive effect collective bargaining has brought to firefighting, by giving firefighters a voice in their own work situation, and stressed that it is because of collective bargaining that the public enjoys a high standard of fire protection.

Kettering fireman and union leader, Dave Parker.

Senator Peggy Lehner defended SB-5 and said it was legislation that responded to public unions pushing the rights of public workers too far. She said, “At one time public employees were paid less than their civilian counterparts, but not so anymore.” She zeroed in on health and retirement benefits for public employees as being, “way out of line.”  Lehrner, who chairs the Ohio Senate’s Committee on Education, put most of her focus on teachers. She said, “We can’t afford to give 15 sick days per year to teachers,” and explained that these days accumulated until cashed in at retirement. Lehner said “step raises” of 3% or so, when added to contract raises of 2%  or 3%, meant teachers were receiving annual increases totaling 5% or 6% — much more than most civilian workers receive.

John Ryan of "We Are Ohio," a group that is seeking repeal of SB-5.

John Ryan of weareohio.com spoke in favor of repealing SB-5 and keyed on Senator Lehner’s comment that “We want to be able to talk about facts and figures,” and said that when the facts come out, people will see that collective bargaining for public workers has made possible many fewer strikes and has created a process and structure that has served the public good. After the meeting, I spoke with Mr. Ryan and he predicted that, because of corporate financing, the campaign to maintain SB-5 will outspend the campaign to repeal SB-5 by at least two to one. He said this advantage in spending will be overcome by an effective grassroots strategy, as more and more citizens rise to oppose SB-5.

Jim Butler, serving as representative for Kettering OHD 37, was the only speaker who mentioned that SB-5 would eliminate the “fair share fee” for non-union public employees. As it is now, most public employee contracts call for nonunion workers to pay a fee that is almost equal to union dues. Butler said that having freedom to not join a union is an “important freedom.”

Representative Jim Butler -- the most incoherent of the speakers.

I thought Rebecca Templeton-Owens, representing the Kettering Education Association, had the best line, building on a remark made by Senator Lehner. Owens said, “Senator Lehner says that we should come to the table, but SB-5 takes the table away.” She said, “We are not abusing our contracts, we are working hard for you.”

There were many more speakers who advocated repealing SB-5 than there were speakers who advocated implementing it. The line to the microphone remained five or six deep. My guess: if a vote was taken of the 250+ in attendance, repeal would have won by 65%. One telling comment was made by a teacher who said she had been a Republican all of her life, but, “Now where should she go?” Another memorable question was: “When did teachers, firefighters, and policemen become our enemies?”

This meeting gave an opportunity for Kettering citizens to see, first hand, our elected state senator and appointed state representative in action. Senator Lehner spoke with poise with an impressive speaking style. I don’t think her justifications for SB-5 will withstand examination, but her passion and the sense of authority she projects will gain a lot of support for her position, regardless. But Representative Butler’s speech seemed like an unorganized ramble of a stream of consciousness, jumping from one point to another. I sensed there was a thought he was trying to share, but I never figured out what it was. I heard several people comment negatively on his presentation after the meeting. He came across as not ready for prime time. Representative Butler was appointed to his position and has not yet actually stood for election for his seat.

I was very positively impressed by the minister of the church, Brian Newcomb, and by the beautiful room where the meeting was held — and the great cookies, brownies, and candy supplied by the church. The season for SB-5 analysis has begun — it may be the spark that  helps ignite a genuine vitalization of our local democracy. This was the biggest crowd for a public discussion meeting that I’ve personally witnessed in Kettering. It was a very successful meeting — The League of Women Voters and the members of Kettering’s David Road United Church of Christ should be pleased.

Rebecca Templeton-Owens spoke for the Kettering Education Association

Brian Newcomb, pastor of David’s United Church of Christ, and Sue Hesselgesser , the new Executive Director of the Dayton chapter of the League of Women Voters.

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