OSPRI Research on Binding Arbitration to Be Released

PROVIDENCE, RI – A survey of 16 communities conducted by the Ocean State Policy Research Institute has revealed that proposed legislation on binding arbitration could cause them to lose control over about $543 million in school spending.

William Felkner, the president of the Ocean State Policy Research Institute, will present the results of this survey tomorrow at the Welcome Back Tea Party for the start of a special two-day state legislative session.

The Welcome Back Tea Party starts at 3:30 p.m. at the main entrance to the Statehouse on Smith Street.

Felkner will be speaking about the loss of local control and increased costs that will result if the Legislature passes binding arbitration. He will be discussing research that shows $543,380,851 out of a combined $693,925,762 in school spending in 16 communities could potentially be controlled by an unelected, third-party arbitrator, if employee contracts are not settled during collective bargaining negotiations. Already, $194,959,583 in spending on police and fire contracts in these communities is subject to binding arbitration.

Source: Ocean State Policy Research Institute