The political landscape shifted yesterday with decisive votes on pension reform in two major California cities and the gubernatorial recall result in Wisconsin. Public employee union power, which has come to dominate the state political process, especially here in California, was found vulnerable.
The attempt to recall Wisconsin governor Scott Walker after he changed rules favoring unions was turned away. By two-to-one margins, the cities of San Diego and San Jose passed pension reforms.
Will the majority in the California legislature take notice and start on the road to reforms in the Golden State to get the state on better financial footing?
Governor Jerry Brown, who offered his own version of pension reform, surely noticed. The question is how hard will he use the momentum of the local votes to convince members of his own party to move on state pension reforms.
Brown needs the support of the public employee unions for his November tax initiative and the unions are not interested in pension changes. The unions were not willing to accept defeat in yesterday’s election. The leader of San Jose’s largest union, told the Jose Mercury News the measure is “an unfortunate way to spend taxpayer money fighting it in court because we will definitely take it there.”
Which brings up another pressure point in this debate over pension reform — what will the judges do?
Judges have skin in the game on two fronts. They complain that cuts have hurt the court system. Cuts to the courts along with other services come at a time when more revenue is needed to satisfy the retirement and health care obligations promised public workers. Yet, judges are public employees themselves.
The governor recently complained that court decisions have been a barrier to some cuts he has proposed. This could be another example — one that hits judges closer to home.
One thing seems clear from yesterday’s election results — along with pension changes, a term limit fix , and according to one election day poll, approval of the top two primary system, the public demands reforms of the status quo.