GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Last week legislation passed Senate Bill 22-230, Collective Bargaining for Counties. Beginning January 2023, this bill will grant an estimated 36,000 public employees across the state the right to organize, form, or join a union and engage in collective bargaining.
It will also give public service workers a seat at the table to address issues like working conditions, job safety, pay and benefits. But not all county officials are on board with this new bill.
Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis says it will have an estimated 7-10 million dollar impact on the county’s budget, which will then result in higher taxes for local residents.
Commissioner Davis says Bill 22-230 is one of the largest unfunded mandates passed by state legislature as well. This means that the county will have to make up for the cost of the bill within its own budget. Commissioner Davis hopes Governor Polis will veto the bill before changes must be made in the county’s budget. We will continue to follow the status of Bill 22-230 and how it will impact counties across Colorado.