Boose takes heat for Senate Bill 5 support

State Rep. Terry Boose (R-Norwalk Township) wouldn't change a thing about Saturday's town hall meeting regarding Senate Bill 5 at Main Street School in Norwalk.
Scott Seitz2
Mar 15, 2011



Boose, who represents the 58th district, knew going in the potential was there for emotions to run high and they did. He also was aware he would received a good deal and grief and that part came true as well.

"I'm definitely leaning to support Senate Bill 5," Boose said. "There are a few things that might be cleaned up, but I expect to vote on it in the House either this week or next. That would be my guess."

(NOTE: To watch additional video coverage of Boose's town hall meeting, click HERE and HERE.)

Look for the full story in Tuesday's Reflector.



So what's the next step after SB5? Suspending elections?


Collective bargaining fosters mediocrity from the employee. The bargaining unit demands that exceptional employees lower their level of production to current contract standards. The exceptional employee cannot seek to excel without repercussion.

SB 5 will not subject any employee to substandard wages, excessive work hours, or unhealthy and unsafe working conditions, but does allow for individual excellence within the salary structure. Creation of salary ranges in the pay schedules, merit-based pay for most public employees, and performance-based pay for teachers will return power and control to the individual employee. Innovation, professionalism, and excellence will no longer be suppressed, and taxpayers can expect, and will see, the service they support.

SB 5 does not deny the right of collective bargaining, but does put limits on the scope of negotiations. The union will still be able to bargain for acceptable wages, hours, and conditions for the employee, but they loose the ability to include mandatory provisions that conflict with the public employer's fiscal responsibility to the taxpayer.

SB 5 does not remove health care and pension from the employee's benefits, just requires that their participation in the programs be fair. Public employees in Ohio have the same medical plan and pension opportunities as the elected legislators, and SB 5 mandates that the benefits provided to managers of public employees be the same.

SB 5 does not place any new demands on the public employee, only modifies existing law to allow for governmental fiscal responsibility.

This is the reality of SB 5.


Well put.


Expatsoon - I don't think you will find too many public sector union employees that would say there are no good things in SB5. There are good things in there but the fact that it wipes out collective bargaining is the thing they are upset about. It makes the unions have no voice.


It does take away the bargaining aspect of negotiations. The union can collectively beg for what they want but, in the end, the union will have to accept what the mayor or board of education says they will.


SB 5 requires that the mayor, county commission, city management team, school board, or any other entity that is negotiating with a public employee union must publish a report concerning compensation paid to employees covered by the bargaining agreement. This report must include:

Each provision in the collective bargaining agreement that affects the compensation paid by the public employer to its public employees; A description of the changes in compensation paid to the public employer's public employees that are not addressed in the collective bargaining agreement but will occur during the time period the collective bargaining agreement is in effect; Any material terms of the agreement.

It appears that this provision can only lead to more responsible negotiation by both parties.


All the information you describe is already a matter of public record. You, I, or anyone may obtain copies of any CBA for any public employees. SB 5 doesn't make this anything special.


I stand corrected. Thank you.


Everyone can cry foul or applaud, but the bottom line is, a budget must be balanced and our leaders are trimming in the areas that cost the most. Teachers are not losing wages, or working for 3rd world country wages, they still will have great health care but cost them a tiny bit more. Same goes for pension. Everyone wants a balanced budget, but will cry foul the moment their sector is remodeled. Nearly EVERYONE in America has taken some form of a cut. Weather it be in business, or salary or increases in health care.


Sure the budget is tight. All must do their share. Yet current leadership GRANT themselves extra $$. Terry stated about himself submitting a proposal to cut his & others like himby 5%. Just do it Terry. While you are at it require others around you to do the same. Words like Baron &Teapot dome come to mind..............tell your farm buddies Terry we the people are sick of them getting handouts also.


Members of the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate receive a salary of $60,584 yearly. The salary for the Speaker and Majority and Minority Leaders is higher. The salary for the Speaker of the House (the highest) is $94,437. They all are eligible to join the same retirement plan as other state employees (PERS), or they can have Social Security deducted from their paychecks if they choose not to join. The health benefit available to the member is the same as the rest of state employees, and the House member is required to pay the same 15% of the cost of the insurance.

This is hardly the exorbitant package that our Federal legislators have voted for themselves.

hit the road jack

Anyone notice what profession is posting all the complaints on here? wonder why people feel the way they do. No one wants to lose their job or have to work for nothing but the well is running dry.


unless you're a politician. their well is still spewing fresh water, so much that the gov's new staff all got raises.

Estrella Damm

So the government has been mismanaging the finances so long they now are in trouble and want to take it out on the teachers in the state who are required to have a bachelors to start and required to obtain a masters within a certain period of time? This will vault the democrats back into office. Way too many persons voted republican last time will switch over based upon this.

Kottage Kat

Not me

Who you voting ...

I am sure you will vote for whoever Rob Duncan tells you to vote for.


Come on people! Terry's doing a great job! It took guts to get up on stage and take the heat. He knew it was going to go poorly, but he went up there anyways. Good for you Terry! I am proud to have you as my state rep.

And shame on the people booing on the video. Give the man a chance to talk!


Thank you Representative Boose for hosting the meeting. People should be ashamed of their behavior. It just re-enforces the "thug" reputation unions have. Can you say RUDE? This man is an elected official....elected by us...and representing us. He deserves our respect, and I have no respect for those who did'nt give it to him wether you happen to agree with what he is saying or not.

Estrella Damm

Terri's deity condescending I think I am smarter than you and know more than you attitude did not help in the proceedings. Cutting people off in their statements right after he complained about the same thing did not reflect well. I have never thought much of him as a person and think less of him now.


Everyone wants things to change until the change affects them. Welcome to the rest of the world.


Only 2 SB5 supporters stood up to lend their agreement with Rep. Boose. While dozens of citizens against SB5 took the time to voice their concern. Where were all the citizens that are in agreement,or is it easier to email in your democracy from home in your pj's being anonymous.


The crowd was too hostile, There were alot of pro sb5 there, and really what does it matter, you people that are against it werent gonna sit and listen anyway, all you wanted to do was sit and call names and be little babies. I was there I seen it.


pugsly - I, too, was there. I think people listened well until it became obvious that Boose already had his mind made up on the issue. It's too bad he didn't make that clear prior to the event he held. There were people that came from as far away as Tiffin on a saturday and took time away from their families with the thought that Boose did not have his mind made up already. It is frustrating to think that the law makers do not realize that this bill takes away the voice of public workers. They (the law makers) think that we can just vote these local people out if they are making rash decisions but it is not that easy. It can take several years to vote people out of office and some are not even voted in (city managers). The big point the advocates of this bill are missing is that the public workers are upset about not being able to negotiate fairly. The decision on the contract will be made by one side and that side, in some cases, will take this to the extreme. Like I have already stated, you would be hard-pressed to find a public worker that would say this bill does not contain some good things and are not willing to make more sacrafices than they already have. It is just the collective bargaining that most of them take issue with.

Ralph Wiggum

And just what makes public workers so superior to every other private sector worker and many other union workers? What makes them feel they have the right to dictate to their bosses (us) what their pay scale will be? Where were these crybabies when the rest of the working public was losing their jobs, their hours, their health insurance and many other things to the poor economy? Now that it's their turn they cry and cry and cry about being "attacked" and continue to expect the rest of us to give them everything they want in salaries plus dictate when it will happen? What a slap in the face to everyone else struggling to make ends meet. "I don't care about you, just give me what I want" should be their battle cry.


do you even know what they are or are not going to be able to negotiate in this bill or are you just rambling off random stuff without really knowing, because it sure sounds like it. Major things like health care and pension and wages are on the table for negotiations. You people really need to read this bill before you comment. Unions voice will still be heard. Nobody is taking voices away.


Health care and pension are not open for negotiation and anything which IS open to negotiation is only open until management decides that is the final offer then labor has to take it.


Oh well! Welcome to the real world! I bet not many of them have looked to see what all their union dues are paying for. I have done a bunch of research and I was amazed where union money is being spent. And I bet if you looked hard enough, what you find will anger you.


arnmcrmn - I have read every version of it and have been to many hearings on it. You are the one that doesn't understand it. It does not allow for fair negotiations. Why is that so hard for some people to understand? The workers will have to take whatever management gives them - the final word will rest with management. That is not negotiating. You are the rambler, my friend. Just like you rambled on about other topics that you think you know everything about. Get a clue. You are the one that needs to research.


First, they came for the Socialists, but I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists...


BLAZE-The intent of the meeting was for Boose to explain the bill, and dispell the many misunderstandings surrounding it. He never said it was to garner input into his decision. If you thought otherwise, you were mistaken. I am aware that the unions were encouraging members to show up in opposition. I got several e-mails from union reps myself. Like I said the image people already have in their heads about unions. You think you gain respect with the public when you go there sounding like an angry demanding mob?


From the original article before the event - The purpose of this meeting will be to give a brief overview of Senate Bill 5, which is the Collective Bargaining Reform bill which was recently passed in the Senate. After giving a brief overview of the bill, the representative will open up the floor to allow constituents to make suggestions and voice their concerns.

"The purpose of this meeting is for me to listen," Boose said. "Senate Bill 5 is an important piece of legislation that is before us and I would like to take this opportunity to make sure that everyone has the facts about the bill, while giving the people I represent the opportunity to make their voice heard."

At the end of the article, Boose stated he was "leaning" in favor of supporting the bill. From what I understood, he was going to listen to what people had to say and possibly form his opinion with that in mind. Also, I don't think the people sounded like an "angry, demanding mob". Things were stated by Boose that were not 100% correct and that did make people take it personal. Yes, people were fired up at times but, for the most part, people were civil. With that many people at a gathering, you are always going to have some people that do not deserve respect.