Over the past several weeks we have been sending out informational pieces regarding the attacks on public employee benefits, and public employees in general.
Now that you have a good background of information on these issues, we are now calling on you to take action!
Between now and the Governor’s May revision to the State budget, we want to flood his office with phone calls, faxes, and letters to call his attention to the fact that attacking public employees won’t solve the State’s budget crisis.
Each week we will send out a new message for you to send out. Please forward these emails to all of your friends, neighbors, family members–anyone with a phone will do! It is essential that we spread the word as broadly as possible outside of our immediate education community. The Governor needs to feel as though all of the general public, not just us “special interests” think his proposals are the wrong solution for California.
The first message is regarding equalization. You are all no doubt now familiar with the fact that the San Diego Community College District receives one of the lowest per full-time student funding rates in the State.
Help rescue our equalization funding for community colleges! Governor Schwarzenegger has introduced his 2005-06 budget without this crucial funding, despite his alleged commitment to this issue last year. We need the second installment of the $80 million for equalization as promised. Now is the time to turn up the heat since it’s quite possible that additional State revenues will be available when the Governor revises his budget in May.
Your past pressure on the Governor’s office, writing letters, making phone calls and even traveling to Sacramento and hand-delivering signed petitions ensured this funding for community colleges in last year’s budget. We need to keep making our voices heard to ensure our fair share continues.
Please do BOTH of the following, EACH workday for the next week. Next week we will send out another message for you to send.
1) Please call the Governor’s office in San Diego at 619-525-4641. Tell them: “I’m calling to urge the Governor to restore the $80 million in community college equalization funding in his May revise.”
2) Please print out, sign and mail or fax (619-525-4640) the attached letter to Governor Schwarzenegger insisting that he follow through on last year’s plan to provide equalization funds for community college districts in California.
That’s all it takes! Last year, your continued lobbying for equalization was successful resulting in the full $80 million being included in the final State budget We need this on-going commitment from the Governor if we are to continue to capably serve our students and succeed in our educational mission.
. Please send email responses to aftjim@pacbell.net
equaliz1.doc