by Cameron Arcand
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that allowing government employees to take paid time to take care of union-related activities is against the constitution’s gift clause.
In Gilmore v. Gallego determined that “release time” as part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and the city is an incorrect use of taxpayer dollars.
“The MOU’s release time provisions cost the City approximately $499,000 per year,” the court’s unanimous opinion stated. Four employees that were paid full-time by the city were “paid release positions for Union members, including the Union President.”
“As a standalone contract between the Union and the City, the release time provisions here would plainly violate the Gift Clause for lack of consideration; including them as part of a larger contract does not insulate them from review,” the court added.
The conservative Goldwater Institute said the ruling was a step in the right direction.
“Today’s ruling is a watershed decision that ensures taxpayer dollars will be spent to advance public interests, not private special interests, including the politically powerful special interests of government labor unions. And that will have nationwide ramifications, too,” the institute said in a news release.
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Cameron Arcand is a staff reporter for The Center Square covering Arizona. A contributor since 2022, Arcand previously worked for Salem Media Group and The Western Journal.
