I literally went through about 10 different titles for this post, per the Columbus Dispatch Editorial blasting Mary Jo Kilroy and the Franklin County Commissioners and there union pay off…err…decision to hire a high-bid, out-of-state, union company for the plumbing on the new Huntington Ballpark, instead of a lower bid, Ohio-based, non-union company.
What I think is the crux of the Editorial, and should be the focus on the argument is that although this decision was “Legal, but not wise” the Commissioners (Mary Jo Kilroy) decision will cost taxpayers and ballpark investors. It is all about the (at least) $215,000 in additional taxpayer dollars this decision will cost John Q. Citizen and the Ballpark investors. The union pay-to-play is just an additional black eye for Mary Jo Kilroy.
Here are some highlights from the Editorial:
Shout out to Paula Brooks for questioning the policy and voting against it.
“Any public policy that forces private and public investors to pay an extra $215,000 to punish a low bidder for a $4,000 clerical error is a policy that deserves reconsideration.”
“One might wonder if this is the commissioners’ way of setting a de facto union-shop-only policy for construction projects. This decision could discourage non-union contractors from bidding on future county projects, such as a new courthouse. That might be just fine with labor-friendly Democratic commissioners, but it will be no boon to county’s taxpayers, who will pay more for those projects.”
WOW! Amen to the Editors of the Columbus Dispatch. These are the points that I have touched on in earlier posts.
We here at OhioRedNovember hear that this story is gonna have legs and that every single contract for the Ballpark and new “Glass Cathedral” Franklin County Courthouse will be under intense scrutiny.
Good!
Mary Jo Kilroy’s Pay-to-Play Union Tactics need to have a big, bright light shinned upon it!
