The news out of Lansing continues to be that legislators are looking to balance the state's budget on the BACKS OF TEACHERS. This includes future payments of 3% per year for all teachers who don't retire, except those in MIP-Plus. Other requriements for pay cuts and cuts of dental and vision insurance co-pays could be passed soon! There is word that this legislation could come forward for a vote as soon as MARCH 25th!
Please write your Legislators today! or THURSDAY!!!! or FRIDAY!!!!!
Just copy and paste the information in BLACK below and then, pick a legislator to send it to from the list below my suggested message. OR, send it to ALL the legislators listed!
Thank you!
· STOP the constant attacks on school employees’ pay, pension and health benefits! It should NOT and can NOT provide a solution to the budget crisis. These are merely band-aids for our state’s financial problems.
· School employees have led by example, making almost $1 billion in salary and benefit concessions during the past three years.
· Most school employees already pay out of pocket for health insurance and retirement – and those that don’t have made salary concessions instead.
· The average Michigan teacher spends $500 or more out of pocket on basic classroom supplies.
· Legislators must focus on long-term, balanced solutions to Michigan’s antiquated tax structure and broken school funding system that will provide adequate, equitable and stable funding for public education.
· Close tax loopholes and end ineffective tax incentives.
· Audit government contracts for efficiency.
· Expand the sales tax to include some services and luxury items.
· Enact a graduated income tax that would be a tax cut for 90 percent of Michigan families.
Write or Call -
Governor Jennifer Granholm
517-373-3400 Phone 517-335-6863 Fax
to write Gov. Granholm, please go to the Michigan.gov website
Speaker of the House Andy Dillon
Phone: 517-373-0857
Fax: 517-373-5976
E-mail: andydillon@house.mi.gov
Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop
Phone: 517-373-2417
Fax: 517-373-2694
E-mail: senmbishop@senate.michigan.gov
State Senator Nancy Cassis
Phone: 517-373-1758
Fax: 517-373-0938
senncassis@senate.michigan.gov
State Senator Gilda Jacobs
Phone: 517-373-7888
Fax: 517-373- 2983
SenGJacobs@senate.michigan.gov
State Representative Vicki Barnett
Phone: 517-373-1793
Fax: 517-373-8501
vickibarnett@house.mi.gov
State Representative Lisa Brown
Phone: 517-373-1799
Fax: 517-373-8361
lisabrown@house.mi.gov
State Representative Hugh Crawford
Phone: 517-373-0827
Fax: 517-373-5873
hughcrawford@house.mi.gov
State Representative Eileen Kowall
Phone: 517-373-2616
Fax: 517-373-5843
eileenkowall@house.mi.gov
