Without Vote Soon, Sick Time Will Die

There is a looming reality that no one in Orange County is talking about in the Earned Sick Time battle. The truth is the people are destined to lose their voice once and for all if a vote is not scheduled immediately. The delays of the County Commission were devious and trumped local democracy and process. But the real travesty is the fact no one is pushing for Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the County Commission to do their job and schedule a vote as soon as possible. The courts simply gave them a delay, now it is time to force a special election on the issue.

Without a vote in early 2013, sick time will die. Organizers long knew that one major threat to this whole operation was legislative pre-emption. The state legislature can pass a law at any time – and they do it often around the country – about what regulations and ordinances local counties or cities can pass. Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, the biggest anti-worker, anti-union figurehead in the country, even did this AFTER Sick Time passed overwhelmingly in Milwaukee. But at least the vote of the people was on record.

That’s what’s ahead for Orange County – poof all those signatures now worthless. If the Commission and the Earned Sick Time coalition choose the courts as their battlefield over the next two years, the workers and families who need this time to care for themselves or their loved ones will lose for good.  Rick Scott and his legislature would have two sessions to get around to stopping this effort and they will find the time. The same Chamber donors to the Commission fund the legislature.

The County Commission and Chamber of Commerce also have a back-up plan. There are hopes the courts will find the language misleading and throw the whole thing out. Prolonging this fight for two years will not help the families and workers struggling and going to work sick.

However, the path was there all along. The courts did side with the people; their 20 day delay only prevented this from making the November ballot. That doesn’t mean our community should not be fighting for the very first special election possible. Calling for a special election is more than justified. It is first time in history over 50,000 citizens certified a ballot measure locally. It is also an issue riddled with questions on process, transparency, fairness and leadership. That can be corrected by scheduling a vote quickly in 2013. It will also potentially lead to a great showdown should the Chamber, County or state take this to an even higher, statewide level. Orange County may even get credited for defining a key gubernatorial issue for 2014.

Either way, the people signed the petitions. The process was followed. It’s time to schedule a vote. Then the people will have their say on the issue, which is what this whole thing is really all about:

Shall Orange County adopt an ordinance providing that employees of businesses in Orange County earn up to 56 hours of sick time each year unless the business provides more – with pay required only in businesses with 15 or more employees as defined – to seek medical care, recover from illness/injury, care for a family member as defined, or use when necessary during a public health emergency, with such ordinance enforceable in court?