Pre-Session Update

 As we move into the 2003 legislative session, we applaud Governor Richardson for making teacher salaries a priority.  We applaud his initiative to force a critical look at school district cash balances.  We expect that his belief that school districts should find revenues for other employee salaries will be vigorously pursued.  We believe that his desire to move to regional salary parity this year is a worthy goal.  We stand ready to work toward the revenues that will be needed to truly implement his goals.  There are three other budget proposals: the state board of education's (SBE), the Legislative Finance Committee's (LFC), and the Legislative Education Study Committee's (LESC).  

Each of the four budget proposals has strengths and drawbacks.  The LESC proposes funding the three-tiered teacher licensing program proposed in the reform bill of 2001 and giving all employees a five per cent salary increase, raising school funding some 163 million dollars.  The LFC proposes funding the first year of the new licensure system, providing a 2.5% raise for teachers and a 2% raise for other employees, and about 60 million new dollars.  The SBE proposes a 5.5% salary increase for all employees and about a 200 million dollar increase.  The governor proposes redirecting some current dollars, a 6% salary increase for teachers, the use of cash balances to find money for other employee raises and about 40 million new dollars.

Also the LESC's ad hoc Task Force is proposing reform legislation similar to that vetoed by Gary Johnson in 2001.  This legislation would set minimum salary levels for teachers based on their level of New Mexico teaching license.  Level I minimums would immediately rise to $30,000, while level two minimums would become $40,000 and level III minimums would become $50,000 in steps over the next five years.

Watch this space for more details on all these proposals.

We believe that the give and take of a legislative session will eventually produce a budget for the state and public schools.  We will advocate for our legislative priorities as this process unfolds.  Now is not the time to attack any of the budget proposals!  We must await details of all of them and then use the legislative process to produce the best compromise.

Don't forget these two important events: