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Where's Assemblyman John McKeon on union negotiations?

West Orange's New Jersey State Assemblyman John McKeon made an appearnace at the union rally in Trenton. And whose side is he on? Doesn't seem to be the taxpayers.

As reported in PolitickerNJ, "The Democratic Party Crack-Up" By Jeff Michaels, the state's Democratic party is controlled by the unions. Of course, Senate President Stephen Sweeney is bucking that trend. But what about the minions in the Statehouse?

John McKeon was in attendance and spoke on behalf of police and fire unions at the March 7, 2011 rally. As you can hear on the video, John says,

“Less public safety officers means equals more law abiding people being less protected. Bottom line.” [A typical McKeon faux pas- all citizens are entitled to police and fire protection, not just the law abiders.]

As Michael's writes,

It is telling that voter esteem for public employee unions is at an all-time low. It appears that voter approval of public employees bears a corresponding inverse relationship to their ability to afford them, in light of NJ’s historic high property taxes and the recession, which has lightened taxpayers’ wallets.

No one is saying that police and firefighters are not entitled to a living wage. Yet, Michaels continues,

In their desperate effort to hold onto gold-plated benefits, the unions appear arrogant. But their arrogance is understandable, when they have for so many
years influenced one party (Republicans) and completely controlled the other.
Why should they not expect to prevail now?

The difference, of course, is Governor Christie, who has completely altered the playing field, for the first time putting taxpayers at the center of the discussion. It is a playing field on which the unions are not accustomed to playing, hence the shrill cries, the rallies, and the desperation.

So, there we have it, Dems and Unions and McKeon v. Christie. Is McKeon acting in the best interests of his constituents, already paying the highest property taxes in the state? I think not. At least he hasn't asked me for my opinion.

Heaven knows how much I have depended on graciousness and good works of the West Orange Police Department over the years. But we need a discussion, a civil one, on the future of public workers and their benefits. John McKeon has thrown gasoline onto the fire.

Well, that's what I have to say.

Stephen M. Flatow