The message for legislators is simple, no more cuts to education!
Don't target school and other public employees with mandated salary
cuts!
TAKE ACTION:
1. Identify Your Legislators.
2. Call your state senator and representative today. Call them at
their office number or 1(505) 986-4300 and ask the operator to connect
you to his/her office.
3. Leave a simple message:
Tell them who you are and that you are a voter in the legislator's
district.
Leave two simple points:
1. Vote against further education cuts.
2. Vote for revenue generators which could include rolling back
tax cuts for the wealthiest and closing corporate loopholes - and use
that money to fund our schools and public services!
Some possible revenue generators:
A 1% temporary surtax on filers with taxable incomes over $100,000
would generate $150 million for our schools?
A Cigarette tax of $1 per-pack tax would generate $31 million for our
schools?
A dime-a-drink increase would generate $80 million for our schools?
SOURCE: *NM Voices for Children/NM Fiscal Policy Project
Remind them of the poll conducted by
the New Mexico Education Partners late last year.
That poll conducted by New Mexico Research and Polling on
behalf of the Partners found the following:
81 percent of registered voters say
balance budget deficit without cutting public school funding.
88 percent of registered voters say balance budget
deficit without cutting education employees’ pay.
70 percent of registered voters support increasing
taxes on tobacco, alcohol to increase revenues.
61 percent of registered voters support closing tax
loopholes for out-of-state corporations that don’t pay taxes on
profits earned in New Mexico.
55 percent of registered voters support using more of the Permanent
School Fund to help fund schools.
49 percent (a plurality) of registered voters support rolling back
2003 tax cuts for wealthiest New Mexicans in order to increase
funding for public schools.
44
percent of registered voters support increasing gross receipts
taxes.
43 percent of registered
voters are less likely to vote for lawmakers who cut school funding
instead of raising certain taxes to help balance the budget, while
only 14 percent are more likely to vote for such lawmakers. 34
percent said it wouldn't affect their vote either way.
Later today NEA-New Mexico members from
across the state will gather at the NEA-New Mexico Headquarters
Building to discuss legislative issues and to prepare to lobby
legislators during the 2010 Legislative session.
Look for updates later in the week on various budget
proposals introduced or recommended by the Governor and various
legislative bodies. Budget
proposals compared.
Contact Governor
Richardson and thank him for saying no
to cuts to the classroom and salaries and yes to funding health care
for school employees.
Governor
Richardson's State of the State Address is at this link.
Education Partners' Poll on school funding and revenues |
