For several years the Ohio School Facilities Commission's philosophy was that taxpayers' dollars should be stretched as far as possible. That changed not long after Gov. Ted Strickland took office. It became clear the governor intended to strengthen his friendship with labor unions that helped get him elected.
Strickland appointed new members, people who shared his philosophy of working closely with unions, to the School Facilities Commission. He replaced its head, appointing union veteran Richard Murray to the post.
Quickly, the commission reversed a policy that had been in place under Strickland's predecessor. Under former Gov. Bob Taft, the commission had prohibited school districts receiving state money from requiring that construction contractors pay "prevailing wage" on projects. Now, that safeguard is not in place. School districts spend more money on construction projects, in effect bowing to unions because of pressure to pay "prevailing wage" - which too often means union scale, not the pay rates that truly prevail.
Now Murray has taken the pressure to hire union contractors to a whole new - and very disturbing - level.
During a recent meeting with officials of a school district in Scioto County, Murray was accompanied by the business director of a laborers' union local.
And if the message that the facilities commission likes unions was not strong enough, Murray allowed the union leader to engage in what those at the meeting described as "a tirade" about agreements to use union workers on school projects. The union official's remarks were "profanity laced and threatening," one school official said. Three school officials told The Columbus Dispatch the union leader told them a union agreement would provide "a dome of protection during the construction of (a) new school ..."
No one disputes the school officials' account of the meeting - which clearly was intended to pressure them into a union agreement.
Murray's offense was worse than bad judgment. He knew precisely the effect showing up at the meeting with a union leader in tow, then allowing the man to harangue local school officials, would have.
Obviously, Murray needs to be sent packing. The school facilities commission should have a new executive director - one more concerned with making tax dollars go as far as possible than with currying favor with labor unions.
The commission's policy on prevailing wage contracts needs to change, too. Strickland is using taxpayers' money to gain support from unions - and Ohio voters should not tolerate it.