Following a Democratic victory in New York state senate elections this November, the Left and advocates for the New York Health Act (NYHA) had new hope for passing the single payer health bill. The bill passed the state assembly every year for the last seven years, only to die in the Republican-controlled senate.

But before the month was over, powerful New York City public sector unions were expressing grave objections to the bill. In particular, the unions, whose members generally enjoy premium-free health insurance, worry that any new tax to pay for NYHA would amount to their members paying more for the same health benefits.

A recent study found that NYHA would require more than $130 billion in new taxes, though the bill’s proponents point out the figure is misleading: While workers and employers would face higher taxes, they would no longer pay insurance premiums, deductibles, or co-pays.