The Choice in Washington: Government Unions or Private Sector

William McGurn of the WSJ asks the most important question of this election cycle:

Do state budgets exist to serve their citizens or their government employees?

If you read the talking points, the unions are involved in this initiative because they see it as the only way to maintain vital health-care and education services. Under I-1098, that would mean a new 5% tax on individuals earning more than $200,000 a year and couples earning more than $400,000. An additional 4% would kick in for individuals earning more than $500,000 and couples making more than $1 million.

...Here's a better way of putting it. By taxing others, these unions want to insulate the governor and the legislature from having to make difficult choices about what the government should fund and what it might cut back.

The conflict here is obvious: taxpayers fund public salaries and benefits, which are used to fund union dues. The union dues then donate to politicians who are willing to increase their salaries and benefits. This needs to stop across the U.S.