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Proposed state funding cuts to SUNY and their impact on campuses statewide, NYSUT’s endorsements for the November election and NYSUT’s answer to a state property tax cap proposal topped the topics discussed at the Chapter Presidents meeting at The Desmond in August.
Chapter presidents listened and responded — often quite passionately — as UUP President Phillip Smith provided an overview of pressing issues for union members during the meeting.
Smith opened with a detailed presentation of the latest planned cuts to SUNY by Gov. David Paterson, which would slice another seven percent — or $96.3 million — from SUNY for the 2008-09 school year. Those cuts are in addition to a $52 million SUNY general fund budget reduction in May and another $109 million in SUNY revenues that have been ordered frozen by the state Division of the Budget.
If the latest round of cuts is approved, SUNY will face a $148.4 million state aid reduction just weeks before school is set to start, Smith said.
To put the cuts into context, Smith said the reductions equal the operating budget of the University of Albany or the University at Binghamton. The dollar amount also equals the total cost of operating any three University colleges or any four colleges of technology. “Cuts of this size will irrevocably damage the University’s ability to fulfill its core mission,” Smith warned.
“We are probably in the worst state of affairs that we’ve seen in probably the past 20 years,” Smith added. “Last year’s (SUNY) budget was really a waterline budget with inflation and rising costs. Now we’re in a situation where our heads are really under the water.”
Smith again questioned why Cornell is receiving $60 million in state aid while SUNY, CUNY and community colleges are being pressured to cut spending.
He also called on chapter leaders to take news of SUNY’s financial woes to state legislators in their local offices and inform them of the devastating impact Gov. Paterson’s cuts will have on their campuses and the local economy. He noted that SUNY is an “engine of economic growth” in New York, with every dollar spent on SUNY returning between $6 and $8 to local communities.
“We need to get everyone involved to make this real to the legislators,” said Smith. “We have to make them feel the pain.”
Unlike other state agencies, SUNY is not under Paterson’s hard hiring freeze edict and no additional aid cuts are planned this year. But Smith told chapter presidents that UUP will make known its opposition to the governor’s latest budget slashing measure, most likely through a media campaign and possible legal action to free up frozen SUNY revenues.
Smith also discussed NYSUT’s decision not to endorse politicians who voted in favor of a school property tax cap proposal. NYSUT withheld endorsements in 38 state Senate races and 23 state Assembly races, in most cases because incumbents voted for the tax cap.
NYSUT supports a property tax “circuit breaker” alternative, which limits a taxpayer’s total property taxes to a percentage of their household income and would provide tax relief to seniors and middle-income homeowners. NYSUT may decide to make endorsements in those races as the election nears.
Smith also told members that the state is limiting its 403(b) retirement plan, reducing the provider list as of Jan. 9, 2009.
Approximately 116 UUPers with funds in accounts that will be restricted are impacted by the change. Smith said SUNY will send out letters explaining the situation and laying out options for them.
— Michael Lisi