Many members have expressed frustration about the brutal impact of recent budget cuts. This NYSUT Action Alert raises the alarm about an ill-conceived tax cap that would result in further devastating cuts. Please read and then take action today:
Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders are preparing to pass the most devastating tax cap in the nation, one that would permanently harm schools, SUNY community colleges and public services in New York State. It would let a minority of voters — just one vote over 40 percent — reject school budgets in a breath-taking subversion of democracy. The bill, A-7916 Silver, would starve our schools and community colleges, cause massive program closures and layoffs, widen the achievement gap and deprive students of a sound basic education as required under our state constitution. If you thought budget cuts were bad, this bill would cause far more permanent devastation, without doing a thing to provide tax relief to those most in need.
The very future of public education is at stake. Please call the AFL-CIO hotline at 1-877-255-9417 to speak with your Senator, Assembly member and Governor Cuomo’s office. Tell them we will hold all officeholders accountable should this measure become law. For our statement on the tax cap bill:
http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/mediareleases_16629.htm
For more on NYSUT’s responses to the tax cap proposals and more, visit Bad Cap City News (http://BadCapCityNews.org) and also visit the NYSUT United Facebook page: http://facebook.com/NYSUTUnited
For yesterday’s New York Times editorial calling for a rejection of the tax cap click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/opinion/26thu1.html
If you don’t know the name of your Senator or Assembly member you can find them here: http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/legislation_5055.htm