The following contains important information regarding the current legislative session. Please forward as appropriate.

 

SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE HEARS TESTIMONY

 

On Thursday, March 6, TCCTA president Susan Edwards testified before the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Teel Bivins (R-Amarillo). Also offering testimony were Rey Garcia, executive director of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, Bill Crowe, president of Tyler Junior College, and Bud Joyner, president of Amarillo College. Many other presidents and chancellors plus an impressive delegation of students from Brazosport College also attended, in a show of solidarity for community colleges in these difficult times. The large hearing room was filled to capacity when this item in the budget was considered.

While "we don't envy your job," Ms. Edwards told the senators, the proposed budget cuts potentially damage Texas community colleges not just in one way-but four.

First are the cuts in formula-driven funding. The governor and legislative leadership ordered an immediate reduction of seven percent from all schools for the rest of this fiscal year, followed by a 12.5 percent reduction for the next biennium.

Second is the recommendation of Gov. Perry that community colleges pay 65 percent of the cost of health insurance under the Uniform Group Insurance Program. By virtually all accounts, the governor's proposal would be devastating, whether the cost is absorbed in local college budgets or "passed through" to employees. The state has paid for this insurance since the 1970s.

The third item is the freezing of distributions from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF), which provides technical support for infrastructure and vital shared resources for libraries.

Fourth is the lack of funding provided in the budget for the extraordinary enrollment growth of community colleges since the last biennium-growth encouraged through the Closing the Gaps strategy of the Legislature and Coordinating Board. "If Closing the Gaps is to occur," Ms. Edwards noted, "in a very real sense it will occur in my classroom and countless others across the state."

Any one of these cuts would be a cause for concern. When put together, the very mission of these schools is in peril, according to college officials.

In addition to Chairman Bivins, members of the Senate Finance Committee are: Vice Chair Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo), Kip Averitt (R-Waco), Gonzalo Barrientos (D-Austin), Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth), Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), Kyle Janek (R-Lake Jackson), Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), Steve Ogden (R-Bryan), Florence Shapiro (R-Addison), Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso), Todd Staples (R-Palestine), Royce West (D-Dallas), John Whitmire (D-Houston), and Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands).

Constituents of these senators are urged to contact them to express support for community college funding, paying particular attention to the four components cited above. Each college is contending with budget cuts differently, so it is certainly appropriate to address local concerns such as tuition hikes, reduction in course offerings, and property tax increases. You may find out "Who Represents Me" here. IMPORTANT: Do not use college stationery or e-mail addresses.

TCCTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DAY DRAWS CROWD

On a rainy February 20, in conjunction with the TCCTA annual convention in Austin, educators and students gathered in the Capitol to show support for community colleges and to express concern over recent budget projections.

After a brief "guided tour" by TCCTA lobbyist Beaman Floyd, members fanned out to the offices of their particular representatives and senators to discuss their concerns and to distribute information on community colleges provided by TCCTA. Many reported having meaningful and serious discussions with their elected officials and their staffs.

Later that afternoon, the TCCTA Legislative Committee and other convention attendees heard from Rep. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio), who sits on the influential House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Menendez urged the audience to get involved immediately, and to press unique concerns to members of the Legislature.

SOCIAL SECURITY "LOOPHOLE" SURVIVES FOR NOW

 

The following may be of interest to community college employees who are qualified for Social Security benefits but may retire from schools that do not participate in the Social Security system.

 

Last week the House of Representatives rejected a bill containing a provision to eliminate the last-day exemption from the Government Pension Offset. As previously reported, the measure would have mandated that an employee have worked in a school (or college) district participating in Social Security for at least 60 calendar months prior to retirement to be eligible for full spousal benefits. While a majority of House members voted for the bill, it did not receive a two-thirds majority, which was required by a temporary parliamentary rule.

While the one-day "loophole" remains alive, the issue may return at any time-perhaps with only a majority vote required.

Several bills have been introduced in Congress to address the underlying twin dilemmas facing many school employees, the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. Repeal will be difficult, given the current mood of Congress and the fact that these two provisions in the law only apply in 15 "non-mandatory" states (in which school and college districts have chosen not to participate in Social Security).

TCCTA members who are potentially affected are urged to express their concerns to their U.S. Representatives and Senators. Contact information is provided here.

 

Past editions of TCCTA Legislative Updates are available on first page of the Web site at www.tccta.org.

 

--

Scott Nelson
Texas Community College Teachers Association
5113 Southwest Parkway
Suite 185
Austin, TX 78735
Phone: 1-800-288-6850 (ext. 12)
Fax: 512-328-1086
http://www.tccta.org

 

-- 

____________________________________________
Richard Moore
Executive Director
Texas Community College Teachers Association
5113 Southwest Parkway
Suite 185
Austin, Texas  78735
Toll Free (800)288-6850, Ext. 13
In Austin, 328-2044, Ext. 13
http://www.tccta.org