It's election time, must be politics blooming

   Next week's Jackson County Legislature should be a doozy.

   The local firefighters and carpenters unions -- which oddly enough represent a good number of folks in the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office --_ have convinced six legislators that they need to approve $303,306 to give some prosecutor's office employees 6 percent raises.

   This comes on top of the much as 9 percent given last year to the union folks to the great consternation of Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields. (Plus later in the year most of the prosecutor's office employees got $1,000 bonuses)

   And the other 1,800 or so county employees including judicial branch and executive branches employees? They'd have to wait their turn -- again like last year.

   Shields may have been absent from Monday's meeting but she made sure deputy county counselor Jay Haden conveyed her opposition. And Circuit Judge J.D. Williamson was in the audience to observe and proclaim afterward that other employees are titled to raises.

   "It is a matter of fundamental fairness," he said.

    But chairman Henry Rizzo and Legislator Fred Arbanas say the county has the money and promises were made to the union folks that need to be kept. They agree raises for other employees need to be considered.

    But Legislator Bob Spence said it is unfair to single out one group of employees for raises.

   How important is this? Expect it to be an issue in the upcoming county executive and legislative races as the unions and others look closely to see how the votes shake out next week.

   And underscoring the political nature of the issue? Phil Cardarella, aka Mr. Shields and a big supporter of Charlie Wheeler in the county executive race, actually attended a legislative meeting for the first time in months and Calvin Williford, Sanders' only paid full-time campaign worker for the county executive seat, had to see what was up with the union folks and the second floor of the courthouse.

  Stayed tuned As the Courthouse Turns....

   Posted by DeAnn Smith at 5:20 p.m.  

Comments

[County employee that hates Sheilds]

I was at the meeting today, and clearly the Legislators are attempting to gain favor with the unions. An interesting subtext is that Sheilds has reached out to the Uninons through her husband and offerred to "sit down" and discuss her position on the raises if the unions would become "open" to her mayors run. What really intrigued me is Sanders notable absence from the meeting, especiallly after his VERY vocal advocacy for the raises last time. My sources tell me he is not a fan of the raises, and is quietly fuming at Sheilds and the unions for creating this political circus during the election.