Dear Colleagues,
The voters in Massachusetts will soon decide whether or not to end the
state's personal income tax requirement and remove $12.7 billion from
our currently challenged state treasury. This issue, known as Question
1, has been included as a ballot initiative on the November 4th state
ballot this fall. If supported, Question 1 will cut the personal income
tax in half on January 1, 2009, and eliminate it entirely the following
year. Though the current political and economic climate might make such
a tax giveaway sound appealing, a 40 percent depletion of current state
revenues is a huge concern for all who care about access and
affordability to quality public education and the quality of life in
our cities and towns. It is important that everyone carefully weigh the
human costs and consequences before voting on this question.
The costs to our communities:
Given the pervasive sense of financial doom and gloom, the general
distrust of state government, and the challenges so many residents are
facing with cost of living increases, the concept sounds good to many
taxpayers. But services within communities would be eliminated if state
aid to cities and towns is cut by 40 percent. New fees and increased
property taxes would be the only way to keep schools open and crucial
services to residents maintained. To see an informative video, get the
Q1 facts, and learn about the cost to your city or town, go to: http://votenoquestion1.com/ .
The consequences for colleges and universities:
- Campuses would lose at least 40 percent of their state
support - and most likely much more, given that higher education
funding is considered discretionary state spending.
- Academic programs would be eliminated, support services would be slashed, and campuses could shut down altogether.
- Layoffs would include faculty, librarians, counselors, administrators, clerical and custodial staff, and security personnel.
- Health insurance costs to remaining employees would skyrocket.
- Promised and needed capital construction projects would never be realized on our campuses.
- Money for labs, equipment, and libraries would be minimal or non-existent.
- Our mission of access would be impossible. Most students simply couldn't afford the skyrocketing fees.
- Many students would be priced out of a college education.
Simple things you can do to help defeat Question 1:
- Tape an MCCC flyer that clearly emphasizes the Q1 consequences to our communities and our colleges. Download at: http://mccc-union.org/Q1/Q1%20Flyer.pdf
- Hang/tape one of the bright blue "Protect Public Higher
Education" posters on the outside of your office door for students,
colleagues, and administrators to see. Ask your chapter president if
you don't have one.
- Tape these same blue posters to MCCC Bulletin Boards and any other appropriate place on campus.
- Ask your division deans and/or vice presidents to hang the same poster on the outside of their office doors.
- Wear a "Vote No on Q1" button on campus and around the community. Buttons will soon be sent to your chapter president.
- Talk to family, friends, and neighbors about the consequences of this initiative.
- Vote no to Q1 on Nov. 4th; persuade friends and relatives do the same.
What many chapters are doing; consider these actions:
- Registering students and informing them of the consequences of the Q1 ballot initiative.
- Joining with other campus members to fight this fight (Senate, MASSPIRG, and AFSCME leaders).
- Attending regional events with police and fire personnel, social justice groups, social service and community leaders.
- Asking College Presidents and Administrators to stand up for our colleges and spread the word.
- Persuading the Boards of Trustees to sign on to the "defeat
Q1" campaign. Note the opposition to Q1 by the trustees at Berkshire
Community College: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_10597469
- Volunteering for MTA regional phone banks. Chapter
leaders will be distributing these lists. Bring a colleague. Dinner is
included.
Ethics/Legal guidelines on Q1 campus activities:
- If you have questions about what you can and cannot do on
your campus in support of Question 1, please ask your chapter executive
team for the MTA legal guidelines and examples of appropriate and
inappropriate activity.
- Each chapter received these guidelines at the last BOD
meeting on September 19. If you would like an electronic copy of these
guidelines, please contact me.
Note: The MCCC cannot move forward on any of its current
classification goals or legislative initiatives or achieve benefits and
increased salaries for adjunct faculty unless Question 1 is strongly
defeated. Please understand the importance of your vote on November
4th. Our colleges and communities truly need your support.
Links of Interest
Thank you for your leadership and support. Please keep me informed as
to your progress, your questions, and your suggestions.
In solidarity,
Donnie McGee
MCCC Vice President & SAC Chair
Email: 