December 28, 2007

Dear MSCA Faculty and Librarians:

Earlier today Arline Isaacson, our MTA lobbyist, sent this message to the higher education union presidents:

"The legislature has just enacted the deficiency budget including funding for all 9 of MTA's higher education collective bargaining agreements [including the MSCA's]. The Governor has 10 days to sign the bill. While it has not been said which day he'll sign the legislation, it will most likely be after the holidays. And most importantly, there is no question that he will sign the contract funding portions of the deficiency."

I also received this information from the Executive Officer for the state college Council of Presidents:

"LEGISLATURE ADVANCES MINI-BUDGET: The House just after noon approved a $62 million supplemental spending bill, the latest version of a mini-budget Gov. Deval Patrick filed last month. The Senate approved it just over 30 minutes later. The bill emerged from the House Ways and Means Committee Friday morning. A joint legislative rule prohibits the carryover from one calendar year to another of "any measure making or supplementing an appropriation for a fiscal year submitted to or returned to the General Court by the governor," raising the specter that Patrick, who intends to campaign in Iowa this weekend for Barack Obama, may need to act on the mini-budget on Monday, New Year's Eve, after it is reviewed."

I am traveling on Monday but will do my best to let you know if the governor does, in fact, sign the contract funding bill on Monday. Your phone calls to your representatives were very helpful in moving this bill during the informal session. Happy New Year to everyone in the MSCA!

Pat Markunas
MSCA President

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12/28/07