There two sides to this story. Yes, State workers are getting hosed on this. At the same time, there are businesses that won't pick up dependent without a hefty fee for children and spouses. This is abhorrent.

Now to the second point, State workers had an opportunity to reform their healthcare. Starting in 2003, efforts were made by SNEA/AFSCME Local 4041 to make changes. Some changes took place.

However, the vacuum that is AFSCME Local 4041 failed its membership. AFSCME International Union allowed an internal political war and budgetary calamity caused by repeated warnings to handle the situation, and thus prevented healthcare reform for state employees and possibly collective bargaining even when it was on the precipice of doing something noble.

Local 4041 has gone through 2 Executive Directors and is on its 3rd Chief of Staff in just 9 years.

And the membership roll keeps declining...because they don't know what they're doing. Rudderless

SEIU should be organizing State workers. They wouldn't get this much flack if they simply picked the right group. Besides, state workers are stuck with those SNEA-za / AFSCME Local 4041. They can be reached at 867-5309 "The Management Union".

What a bad idea! Besides, you if the budget is as it is then why not raise the cost of a speeding ticket.

What bunch of delusional horse-pucky!! The nay-sayers-against-public-employees are jealous that someone actually can make a more livable wage than some private sector workers. On the other hand, the unions that represent state workers are blatantly incompetent. There remains a total disconnect between the union leadership and actual membership. Like all good capitalists, the union leadership sells out the line staff, so that they don't have to fight the fight. Collective bargaining was a done deal until our swell turkeys at SNEAZEA-AFSCUMIE Local 4041 decided that suing Gov Muuller was such a fantastical act of utter brilliance. Then, in 1996, Gov Miller had non-economic collective bargaining on the table, and AFSCUMMIE ditched it because it wasn't "their bill." Thanks a lot you sore losers.

But back to reality and the farce. Even with changes in political demographics, the money will always side with the right until someone forcefully takes what "they" deem as theirs.

The fact is that both political sides in this debate have royally bankrolled the state. In 200 years, Jefferson's 20-year revolution has never taken place because it's all about the cold hard cash.

Wanna change the system? Well, better jump on the publicly financed campaign. Take the money out of the game. It's like that phone commercial with the firefighters running the legislature, everyone wants roads, police, and etc., but who's got the jewels to finally put the moneyball out of reach. After 200 years, no one does.

What a fubar! Misspelling Tucson and not correctly placing ASU in Tempe.

While gopher and his ilk are totally full of horse manure, one thing must be added. This loss of institutional knowledge will clearly cause problems. Transitions should be fluid not disjointed. But then again, what would one expect from the authors of SB544, which happens to be SNEA/AFSCME Local 4041. Yeah, a Union pushed this bill as ACR-10 starting in 2003. And in the crunch, SNEA/AFSCME Local 4041's intense lack of understanding of all consequences has put a crimp on someone else's life. It's a domino effect, but since when has SNEA/AFSCME Local 4041 been progressive or proactive. It's a reactionary organization that can't even keep up with the times. It's been behind the curve for 20 years, and because of it everyone else pays for their miserable cognitive skills. That you SNEA/AFSCME Local 4041 for shacking up with Sen. Bob Beers !!!

Lost in the mix see I. Apparently, the media still hasn't figured out why this story has taken even more importance.

What are you talking about, you say? AFSCME Local 4041, or SNEA/AFSCME Local 4041, wrote SB544. Yes, they wrote the bill. Bob Beers gets to champion it because...it does exactly what he wants it to do--get public sector workers off the budget.

But nowhere is the media reporting that the union that represents some state workers actually proposed it. Yes, the bastion of workers' rights--so they claim. The aim was to create a bargaining pool. With a total lack of foresight, SNEA--which changed its name to hide its past of the last 15 years of impotence--it now has become Beers' best friend.

The last time I checked unions shouldn't sell out to their enemies, especially ones they put up lots of campaign cash to defeat. So, SNEA/AFSCME Local 4041 can claim they believe in "solidarity," but in reality its a farce. Besides, what's SNEA going to do with only 11% membership.