September 11

Published: 9/1/2011

Mayor Bell voices support for SB5

BY JIM PROVANCE
TOLEDO BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF

Facing fierce resistance from organized labor as he wrestles to bring Toledo's budget under control, Mayor Mike Bell on Wednesday became Ohio's first major city mayor to officially voice support for a state law limiting the bargaining rights of public employees.

Mayor Bell, a former Ohio fire marshal and Toledo fire chief, made the announcement during a meeting with The Blade's editorial board in which he discussed frustration with the recent reaction of some city employees to a proposed wage freeze and benefit cuts.

"We followed the process, and by following the process we got a protest," Mayor Bell said. "I'm the administrator of a city that is financially-strapped and I need to be able to have the tools in the box [to balance the budget]."

The law to limit bargaining power, commonly referred to as Senate Bill 5 and championed by Republican Gov. John Kasich, passed in the spring without a single Democratic vote and is currently on the Nov. 8 ballot for a referendum on whether it should be recalled.

The mayor's open support for Senate Bill 5 stands as an anomaly in this traditionally Democratic city where the support of labor unions has been critical for many politicians seeking office. For union supporters, Mayor Bell's former standing as a Toledo firefighter and fire chief made his open embrace of Senate Bill 5 particularly hard to swallow. The mayor ran for office as an independent.

http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2011/09/01/Mayor-Bell-voices-support-for-SB5.html