Calls to Action: Citizens, Prison Spending

If You Thought The Recall Was Expensive…

David Crane
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In June the governor and legislature quietly granted an unwarranted $500 million per year salary increase to state prison guards using a loophole inserted into state code in 1981.

Gov. Code Section 19826 deals with “Administration of Salaries,” which this fiscal year will amount to $20 billion.

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Subsection (c) of Section 19826 requires the state to produce a study of salaries of employees in comparable occupations in private industry and other governmental agencies before awarding a new contract:

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But subsection (d) allows bargaining units and the state to agree to bypass that requirement:

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That’s how the governor and legislature were able to grant an unjustified raise to a politically active union of public employees that, also under current law, is permitted to make political donations to the lawmakers who approved that raise.

GFC is taking these steps:

  • Compensation Study. GFC has commissioned a study of prison guard compensation that will be issued later this year.
  • Close The Loophole. GFC is developing legislation to eliminate the loophole permitting compensation studies to be avoided.
  • Ban On Donations From Recipients Of State Funds. GFC is developing legislation to ban political donations from corporations, unions and associations that receive money, or whose shareholders, employees or members receive money, under agreements with the state.

In 1981 there was no organized resistance to public employee unions and other special interests. It will take decades of persistence by good government organizations like GFC to reverse the consequences of feeble defense of the general interest. Your participation is appreciated.