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PRESS RELEASE
 June 6, 2002
Contact: Marsha Richards, Communications Director Union caves, pastor won’t send dues to ACLU SUNNYSIDE, WA - Washington state’s Public School Employees (PSE) union announced today it will not try to force Reverend Ivan Poisel to send his dues to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Rev. Poisel, a part-time school bus driver and pastor of a Church of God congregation in Sunnyside, WA, has religious objections to the PSE’s activities. Since paying dues or fees to the union is mandatory, state and federal law protect religious liberty by allowing objectors to designate a charity to receive their money instead. Poisel chose to send his money to a local food bank, but PSE officials told him he would have to send it to the ACLU or get a lawyer and arbitrate the case before the Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC). “The union’s demands were ridiculous,” said Poisel. “I wasn’t about to sit back while they walked on my rights and the rights of other employees.” Poisel contacted the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a non-profit research organization dedicated to defending individual liberty and free speech, and the foundation referred him to legal counsel and helped him get his story to the media. “PSE officials knew in advance their position was indefensible," said Dan Cook, a legal assistant for EFF. "The union has lost cases like this before and is out_of_line to insist on one charity __ particularly one as controversial as the ACLU." After a barrage of media calls, the union announced today it was backing down. “It makes sense for PSE to approve of contributions to food banks when we represent thousands of cafeteria workers across the state who provide hot meals to low-income students,” said PSE Communications Director Rick Chisa. Poisel wants to make sure other workers do not have to go through the same trouble he did. “Although I’ve won my case, as a pastor I feel my responsibility extends to others beyond myself,” said Poisel. “No one should have to endure this kind of harassment for their religious beliefs. I want to make sure PSE officials respect religious liberty.”
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1 Part Honesty; 2 Parts Arrogance At a March 23, 2005, House Appropriations hearing on a bill to gut the voter-approved I-601 spending limit, Rep. Jim McIntire (D) asked a supporter of I-601’s two-third supermajority requirement for the legislature to raise taxes the following question: "Can you name a time when we [legislators] have actually not just set it [supermajority requirement] aside by majority vote? I mean, this is in many respects a procedural motion that has no bearing. It’s a statutory constraint that cannot constrain any legislature that chooses as a majority to set it aside . . . have we ever used a supermajority [to raise taxes]?" - Rep. Jim McIntire (D - 46) Despite the arrogance of some state officials, Washington's constitution is clear: "All political power is inherent in the people..." |
