Buying Access From Rep. Matthew Hill:Union Firefighters' Quid Pro Quo

Part of the special interest money that flowed into the campaign treasury of the 2004 7th House District candidate Matthew Hill arrived in the form of a $2,000 donation from the Johnson City Pro. Firefighters PAC (100% fully funded in 2004 by the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO, CLC) --- during an interview on a public television show pertaining to the Tennessee General Assembly, Hill stated that House Bill 2035, the so-called "Professional Fire Department Employees Negotiations Act" --- that he co-sponsored --- was merely legislation aimed "...about helping firefighters get access to their elected officials."

Right. Provided that elected officials like Rep. Hill receive future campaign contributions from the national firefighter union wanting to represent Tennessee firefighters...Hill's HB2035 is placed on the Budget of Finance, Ways and Means subcommittee calander for Tuesday, May 16, 2006.

37.6% of the Johnson City Pro. Firefighters PAC treasury funds were allocated in 2004 as campaign contributions to Matthew Hill.

According to the fiscal note attached to the 2005 Senate Bill 0975 filed within the Tennessee General Assembly, the average annual salary for Tennessee firefighters is now approximately $30,000.

If you actually read the HB2035 bill summary, Hill's legislation is written toward allowing firefighters to legally form labor unions and requiring muncipalities to negotate with these unions:

This bill [HB2035] would give the employees of fire departments the right to self-organization, to form or be assisted by organizations, to negotiate through representatives, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of professional negotiations or other aid and protection. This bill would not annul or modify any agreement already entered into between a municipality and a professional employees' organization, but when that agreement is terminated the recognition of any subsequent professional employees' organization would be governed by this bill.

That is to say, for example, if the employees of the Johnson City Fire Department (or Bureau) voted to be represented by the IAFF/ALF-CIO or the Teamsters, well there you go...Hill's HB2035 did not include a specific fiscal note, but rather generally stated that " Increase Local Govt. Expenditures - Exceeds $100,000". Further down through the rather lenghtly bill summary, the documents goes on to explain procedures for union related activities such as member voting and striking. The following excerpts were from a Kingsport Times-News February 21, 2005 archive article pertaining to Hill's "Legislative Chat" interview:

Freshman legislator Matthew Hill learning the ropes in Nashville

JOHNSON CITY - State Rep. Matthew Hill took his seat as a guest on the television public affairs show "Legislative Chat" and talked about what it's like being a 26-year-old freshman lawmaker roaming the halls of the Capitol in Nashville.
[...]

Hill also defended a bill he has co-sponsored called the "Professional Fire Department Employees Negotiations Act." The Tri-Cities Legislative Policy opposes collective bargaining by public employees, but Hill insisted the bill is about helping firefighters get access to their elected officials.

"It doesn't mandate that the governing authority of the city has to do anything but listen," Hill said of the bill. "We just got done recently with a lawsuit that cost the taxpayers of Johnson City hundreds of thousands of dollars when all that was being asked was public safety officers to sit down and talk with the city about a particular issue. They were denied on countless occasions to sit down and talk.

"I'm sure there will be opposition to it. I have talked to some folks from the city, and I've had some adverse reaction from certain folks, but I think a lot of people are just getting worked up. I'm not predisposed to unions. I never have been. I'm not going to be in the future. What I am in favor of though, specifically, is access. Not only are they an employee [sic] of the city, they are also a citizen [sic], a voter [sic] and a taxpayer [sic]. They should not be denied access."

Not denied access provided that they fork over the campaign dough to Rep. Matthew Hill...