The governor's push to unionize the state government employees will leave legislative budgeters in a bind as payroll costs soar, the Senate's No. 2 Republican told a group of business leaders today.

"The budget will break as unions swell," said assistant senate GOP leader Nancy Spence, of Centennial, addressing a Denver-area gathering of the Colorado Republican Business Coalition. 

Spence chided Gov. Bill Ritter for his executive order last November allowing unions for the first time to bargain for state employee's wages and benefits.  Spence said it will create additional pressure on the budget--and ultimately on taxpayers--to pony up union demands.

"Collective bargaining is a shakedown from any angle, not only for the taxpayers who foot the bill but also for the additional state employees who wind up paying dues," Spence said. "Almost the only ones who come out ahead are the union bosses."