Fight Over Pay Cuts Moves to Senate. Call the Senate Public Affairs Committee Today!
The House has passed a budget, House Bill 2, the General Appropriations Act and House Bill 854; together these two measures are a plan to have all PERA and ERA active members pay an extra 1.5% of salary to PERA or ERA. The budget then calls for the employer (the state, universities, and school boards) to reduce its contribution to PERA/ERA by 1.5% of salary. The argument from the House Appropriations and Finance Committee is this:
The money still belongs to employees by being deposited in the Educational Retirement Fund; any employee who does not intend to retire and draw a retirement benefit can withdraw the funds when they are no longer employed in public education.
House Bill 854, sponsored by Representative Saavedra, is a part of the budget package and will cut school employees’ and state employees pay by 1.5% for two years. House Bill 854 increases the employee contribution to the pension fund 1.5% and reduces what the state is paying into the pension fund 1.5%. The measure would take hundreds of dollars out of the average school employee’s pocket. House Bill 854, well intentioned thought it might be, targets a select group of employees for a pay cut.
The current budget plan contains not one proposal to raise revenue other than asking public employees to pay money to the general fund.
House Bill 2, the General Appropriations Act received only one committee referral and is awaiting a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. This hearing will probably occur quickly. However, the plan to reduce public employee salaries cannot work unless House Bill 854 also passes.
In the Senate House Bill 854 received two committee referrals. Its first stop is the Senate Public Affairs Committee. That hearing will likely happen on Thursday!! Call Committee Members with this simple message:
Choose a new revenue source to use to balance the budget. Don’t single out public employees with a 1.5% pay cut to balance the budget. Do not pass House Bill 854.
Members of the committee are:
|
Senator |
Dede Feldman - (D) Chair |
505-986-4482 |
|
Senator |
Tim Eichenberg - (D) Vice Chair |
505-986-4859 |
|
Senator |
505-986-4393 | |
|
Senator |
505-986-4366 | |
|
Senator |
505-986-4726 | |
|
Senator |
505-986-4862 | |
|
Senator |
505-986-4387 | |
|
Senator |
505-986-4834 | |
|
Senator |
505-986-4274 |
In addition to being, on its face, a highly unfair targeted tax increase, the plan to dock workers 1.5% is a direct hit to the New Mexico economy. It targets New Mexico families and only New Mexico families. Further, the vast majority of the affected workers make between $15,000 and $70,000/year. These are working class and middle class families who spend the money they take in, helping to keep the New Mexico economy moving.
Follow this Link to Send a message opposing HB 854 to Senators and the Governor
Funding Formula Bill Tabled but Revenue Bill Moves to House Floor!
House Bill 331, sponsored by Representative Mimi Stewart changes our state's outdated funding formula. The bill would base school funding on student needs including poverty, ELL, enrollment growth and other factors. House Bill 346 provides the funding for the formula and would provide over $350 million in new money for our schools by changing the gross receipt tax .5%. The bill also would partially repeal the 2003 tax cut for the top two income levels.
House Bill 331was heard in Appropriations from 4-6pm yesterday and was tabled. Immediately after that, Rep. Stewart told the committee they might as well table House Bill 346-the revenue bill to fund the formula. However, the committee voted DOWN a tabling motion and then voted a DO PASS to the revenue bill that would fund the formula they tabled. So…. House Bill 346 goes to the House floor; however, this measure contains a provision that says it becomes effective contingent on the passage of House Bill 331 or similar legislation changing the way schools are funded! All this notwithstanding, keeping a tax bill for public schools alive is very important. Let the members of the House know that with or without the funding formula bill, revenues need to increased and dedicated to public schools.
It is likely that House Bill 331 can be revived and sent forward if the House proves it can support a tax increase for public schools!
Keep asking Legislators to both create a better way to flow funding to schools and the needed increases in revenues for that funding formula.
Follow this link to send an email message on sufficient funding to your legislator.
Feel a Need to Express Yourself in Santa Fe? Come to Jobs Day on Saturday.
This Saturday our sisters and brothers in the Building Trades Unions will be sponsoring their annual Working Families Jobs Day in which they rally at the Capitol for what’s needed and what’s right for NM’s working families; because what’s good for our working families-jobs, health benefits, pay, and schools- is fundamentally good for NM.
If you can, come up to Santa Fe this Saturday, March 7, 2009, bring your local’s banner and be a part of this event. They will begin to gather about 11am at the Benevolent Order of Eagles at 833 Early Street which is just behind Tiny’s Restaurant, which is at the bustling intersection of Cerrillos Road and St. Francis in the little strip mall next to the McDonalds. You can have lunch there (for a donation of $6.50) and then be ready to march to the Capitol, beginning at about 12:00 noon, for a rally in the Rotunda at about 1:00pm. It is about a ½ hour walk with chants and songs and other feel-good happenings. It will be over by 3pm and you will have a chance to visit legislators as they scurry to committees or greet you in their office. Let us know if locals and regions are interested in attending so we may relay this to our colleagues as they prepare for the event.
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