To The Editor:

Members of fire commissions and teachers’ boards that are elected to represent the interests of the public against the interests of employees and their unions, as they are in Florida, are committing unlawful acts. This is, at a minimum, a total conflict of interest and betrays the public’s interests.

As it is now, the system allows for the election of union members to bargain against other union members and they all benefit from those negotiations. That ain’t smart.

Unions negotiate wages and benefits based on parity and tenure. It is widely accepted that firemen and teachers, say, in negotiations raise arguments based on what other firemen/teachers in the same classification have received; this is the basis to parity. These employees have become very used to “slipping in” parity arguments comparing a place like Lehigh Acres with cities like Chicago or New York. And, until now we have let them have their way.

These wages and benefits are held in public trusts and are invested. In a public trust one cannot be an administrator and beneficiary at the same time. This is even against the general law of equity, or commerce if you will.

It would do well if a group of taxpayers got together and started an action to expose and then change this method of negotiations as it is a form of theft. The bankers, lawyers and politicians know this but these aforementioned groups historically will get voters to the polls. Besides, it is just tax money, so who gives a darn?!

It is not a lengthy or difficult procedure to start to get something done. But, one cannot do it alone without getting scrunched. I’m tired of being scrunched.

Keith Kaye

Lehigh Acres