Messages to the Membership-Pres. Pat Markunas: MSCA

August 27, 2001

Dear Colleagues:

As you may know, the state budget for FY 2002 has not yet been finalized. A deficiency budget was recently passed to prevent a shutdown of state government. Despite our best lobbying efforts, funding to include the FY 2001 MSCA contract funding costs were not included in the deficiency budget.

Now is the time for MSCA members to call their STATE REPRESENTATIVES and request funding of the MSCA contract (H4148) prior to the finalization of the FY 2002 state budget. This bill is a non-controversial piece of legislation and can be acted upon during the current informal legislative session.

Members should urge their state representatives to contact Speaker Thomas Finneran and House Ways & Means Chairman John Rogers, to urge them to report HB 4148 out of House W & M favorably. Phone calls or email messages, sent through the MSCA webpage (www.mscaunion.org), are very important to make now.

Your calls and emails will help the lobbying efforts by MTA and MSCA leadership if legislators have this issue on their radar screens from their constituents. Even though many legislators are away during August, most still check in for their messages.

Without these efforts, HB 4148 will be held in committee until the state budget is final, which could take as long as October or November. Your assistance with our lobbying efforts is very much appreciated.

Pat Markunas
MSCA President

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