Sen. Jon Greiner spoke most strongly against the retirement bills on the Senate floor yesterday. Sadly, all three won preliminary approval (they will be brought to a third reading before sending them to the House). Our best chance to defeat them is in the House, even though our Weber legislator Rep. Brad Dee says he will sponsor them. Now is the the time to contact your member of the House and ask them to slow down the process and ask for a task force to study the "shortfall". Go to the www.utea.org website and click on "Under the Dome" to find your legislator and learn how to contact them.
Rick
Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Retirement Bills to be voted on today in the Senate
The three Retirement Bills should be debated and voted on this afternoon in the Senate. You can listen to the audio on the legislative website.
Other bills that UEA is monitoring include: SB16-Expands the use of adaptive online testing in place of CRT's, SB77-Restricts association leave by school districts, SB150-Would require the retention of students not reading at grade level, HB42-Allows school districts to extend teacher provisional status to five years. (unecessary)
You can go to www.utea.org and click on the "Under the Dome" for more updates and information.
Rick
Other bills that UEA is monitoring include: SB16-Expands the use of adaptive online testing in place of CRT's, SB77-Restricts association leave by school districts, SB150-Would require the retention of students not reading at grade level, HB42-Allows school districts to extend teacher provisional status to five years. (unecessary)
You can go to www.utea.org and click on the "Under the Dome" for more updates and information.
Rick
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Budget Projections Less Bleak
Headlines in the Salt Lake Tribune today paint a slightly better picture of the budget problems this year. Read at www.sltrib.com
The revenue projections, released yesterday, allow for another $50 Million that the legislature won't have to cut from the budget. That still leaves a lot of holes in the budget (around $700 Million) The big questions to answer still are: Tax Increases (doubtful, unless on cigarettes), Use of the Rainy Day funds (we will get some, but not all), and, of course, cuts to programs, personnel, furlough days, increased class sizes, smaller salaries and other draconian solutions.
We can expect those three retirement bills to see the light of day in the Senate either tomorrow or Friday. Not much hope of stalling them in the Senate, but we hope for some slowing in the House.
Rick
The revenue projections, released yesterday, allow for another $50 Million that the legislature won't have to cut from the budget. That still leaves a lot of holes in the budget (around $700 Million) The big questions to answer still are: Tax Increases (doubtful, unless on cigarettes), Use of the Rainy Day funds (we will get some, but not all), and, of course, cuts to programs, personnel, furlough days, increased class sizes, smaller salaries and other draconian solutions.
We can expect those three retirement bills to see the light of day in the Senate either tomorrow or Friday. Not much hope of stalling them in the Senate, but we hope for some slowing in the House.
Rick
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
SL Tribune Points out Missing Senator at Retirement Hearing
Today's Salt Lake Tribune details the fact that Sen. Jon Greiner failed to attend the retirement committee meeting both Wednesday and Friday. He said that he had other meetings to attend, but then said that he had promised Sen. Liljenquist that he would not vote against the bills in committee. The vote was 3-2 and his vote would have stalled the bill with a 3-3 vote. He did say that he was against two of the three bills. He hopefully will speak and vote against it on the floor of the senate.
Rick
Rick
Friday, February 12, 2010
Retirement Committee to discuss bills today at noon
The Senate Retirement and Independent Entitiies Committee will reconvene today at noon. They will continue their debate and testimony of Sen. Liljenquist's bills that would make huge changes to our retirement system. You can go to the legislative website and listen to the audio.
Enjoy your long weekend.
Rick
Enjoy your long weekend.
Rick
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Jordan School District Looks at 500 layoffs
KSL.com reported today that the Jordan Board of Education voted to layoff 250 teaching and 250 support and administrative positions to make up the $30 million dollar shortfall by July 1.
They would also increase class sizes by an average of 4 students.
Rick
They would also increase class sizes by an average of 4 students.
Rick
More updates from the Legislature...
The Senate Retirement committee will continue their discussion of changes to the system on Friday at 12:00. You can listen to the audio by going to the Legislative website and finding the committee.
The Deseret News (www.deseretnews.com) had updates also on the Education budget cuts. "After three hours of debate, mainly arguing whether to make education budget cuts that would affect programs or classrooms, lawmakers put off a final decision until today." Go to the Legislative website and find the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee to listen to the audio. They are trying to cut 5% or $102 Million from the 2011 budget.
Please contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to slow down on changes to the Retirement system. Go to www.utea.org and click on the "Under the Dome" to contact them.
Rick
The Deseret News (www.deseretnews.com) had updates also on the Education budget cuts. "After three hours of debate, mainly arguing whether to make education budget cuts that would affect programs or classrooms, lawmakers put off a final decision until today." Go to the Legislative website and find the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee to listen to the audio. They are trying to cut 5% or $102 Million from the 2011 budget.
Please contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to slow down on changes to the Retirement system. Go to www.utea.org and click on the "Under the Dome" to contact them.
Rick
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