Political Football

this is an email I sent two Iowa Representatives on different sides of the Iowa Fair Share bill. It is my understanding this bill was “read” to an empty floor on Friday AM (after the House left for the week) just like the Senate version was earlier. Puts a new spin on “under the cloak of night” doesn’t it?

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Nathan, Jeff – I live in Muscatine and work in Wilton so I am copying you both in this missive. From a business perspective and especially as a member of the Wilton Industrial Development Corporation; this “fair share” bill can only do BAD things for Wilton and Muscatine.

Fair Share is a myth. I am not anti-union; I am pro-growth. Increase the tax base – decrease taxes, simple stuff here.

Iowa has become a special place to work and businesses establish here because of the work ethic and the business climate in Iowa. As witness the gentleman from IPSCO in our forum last week; remember – he said IPSCO would not have located in IOWA had this legislation been on the books at the time of the site search. That is over 400 jobs – and high paying jobs. That is one business.

We can go over and over the Union’s position – but Unions came into businesses with the understanding they aren’t REQUIRED to support non-dues paying employees. Unions can’t change the playing field THEN cry “not fair” – that’s just silly.

One of the reasons I’m writing this is I’m not comfortable with how well the story of concern about businesses fighting this bill is getting into the main stream media, therefore, to the rest of the voting citizens of this county that didn’t attend the forum.

I have a problem with the Journal coverage of the Forum. The Journal didn’t mention the IPSCO point of view at all, which I felt had the most serious impact on judgment for or against that bill during the morning’s discussion.

The Journal also did not record the “promise” Nathan, you stated in the forum – not to vote against Right to Work legislation. Bitterly, my sense is that the statement you made was a veiled spin because the legislation is not named “right to work”. Nathan, I know Jeff opposes this bill. Everything I heard in the forum related to this bill from you and Senator Courtney attempted to tamp down expectations that this bill would even come out of committee, when in reality it seems to be on a fast track to the Governor’s desk. What are we to think?

Nathan, in support of the businesses you represent, you MUST NOT support this bill.

This bill is not about fairness to anyone (including workers in Unions today) in a competitive business environment.

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