Mark Mulliner, Business Manager for Local Union #228 (Plumbers-Pipefitters-Welders-HVAC and Refrigeration) announced last week that a consortium of unions will pay for a recount of Marysville’s tight Mayoral race. The “daily recount fee” is $889.05 and “Examination of Relevant Materials” costs $164.30 per hour.
Retired businessman Chris Branscum was certified by Yuba County Clerk Terry Hansen as the winner with a 4-vote lead over City Councilmember Stephanie McKenzie (1645 to 1641) and a 618 vote advantage over current Mayor Ricky Samayoa (1027).
Unions, California Water Service and Recology / Yuba-Sutter had funded Samayoa’s campaign with more than $10,000 in contributions. Utilities and unions pick their favorites to buy influence. Then they look for elected officials to take care of them.
Once it was clear that Samayoa was out of the running Mulliner said McKenzie had been his second choice and Local 228 was asked to contribute to the recount. Most candidates would want a recount on a very close outcome but what’s in it for the unions?
Branscum, a corporate accountant/attorney, with over 30-years of business expertise, seemed positioned to help Marysville recover from a multi-decade economic skid. He essentially financed his own campaign. His success as mayor could potentially benefit union members as an economic ‘rising tide lifts all boats.’
Union agent Mulliner’s reason for funding a recount for McKenzie was that though he liked Branscum he was not Mulliner’s choice since the businessman had only returned to the community two years ago. Mulliner said as an elected Business Manager he does not need to poll his members as to their wishes. Union member dues will pay for the recount.
Often union members disagree with the political stance of the leadership but they are afraid to sound-off knowing that they can be black-balled from work opportunities. It is a culture of bullying.
An example of Local Union #228 bullying was the Stop Magnolia Ranch campaign in 2015-2017 when Yuba County citizens opposed a 1,000 acre residential development. Project owners had contributed to all 5 County Supervisors. Opponents started a petition drive to put a referendum on the ballot to stop the project.
Mulliner then paid union members to distribute pro-Magnolia literature where Stop Magnolia volunteers worked petition signing tables. Volunteers said union workers interfered with their signature gathering. At Walmart in Linda the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department was called to separate the union people and Stop Magnolia effort. Union members at the incident told Stop Magnolia proponents that workers were paid to be there and didn’t care about the proposed subdivision.
Since neither Samayoa nor McKenzie have experience starting or turning-around businesses maybe this is about controlling the next mayor and has less to do with seeing the city positioned for a business rebound.
Both McKenzie and Samayoa voted to raise sewer rates by 32%, dump hundreds of thousands of dollars into a failed ‘wild-hair’ restoration experiment at Ellis Lake, and Samayoa led the way to raise sales taxes by 1%. Marysville water rates are 3-times higher than neighboring jurisdictions and crickets from the council. Recent councils have made no major regulatory changes to attract business to Marysville.
County elections rules say that if the vote is overturned and McKenzie prevails then the recount costs will be refunded. That would be a win-win for union influence in the city.
(Get Lou’s podcast at “No Hostages Radio” and his articles at nohostagesradio.com)
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