CROWN POINT | The Lake County Council voted to let union highway workers contribute to a Teamster's voter education fund.
Lake County Councilman Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, who also is a Teamsters business agent, said the fund the council created Tuesday is meant for voluntary contributions by union members working for the county highway department.
"It's called DRIVE -- Democrat Republican Independent Voter Education," Bilski said. "We do voter registration programs. We support independent, Republican and Democratic candidates out of that."
He said the contract between the county and union members permits the union members to set aside money from their paychecks.
A question arose as to whether it was similar to 1 percent clubs in which officeholders encourage employees to contribute part of their paychecks to the officeholders' re-election campaigns.
Bilski said it is different.
"It's a volunteer program," he said. "They can opt out at any time and contribute any amount. You don't have to contribute to be a Teamster. There is nothing binding to it."
