It might be a useful exercise to follow how community colleges' react to the Legislative Budget Board's proposed budget -- remember that this is not a final budget. The legislature will haggle over this all spring and probably over the summer. CHanges in the budget will tell alot about which groups in Texas are powerful and which are not.
Community college instructors are represented by a professional organization (which we have the option to join) called the the Texas Community College Teacher's Association, TCCTA. The organizations legislative affairs are overseen by a lobbysist named Beamon Floyd, who also represents the insurance industry in the state. I've heard him speak and he is an articulate defender of the lobbying profession and reminds audiences of its constitutional roots.
Here is the full text of TCCTA's response to the proposed budget:
Dear Colleague,
The preliminary budget for the next biennium was filed in the House of Representatives today (Wednesday), with severe cuts to the state's community colleges. The proposed budget includes a seven percent cut in formula funding, as well as a 25 percent funding cut in the "hold harmless" for small schools.
The budget also proposes the shuttering of four community colleges—Brazosport College, Frank Phillips College, Odessa College, and Ranger College. Rep. Jim Pitts, the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, explained this morning (Wednesday) that these institutions were chosen on the basis of enrollment growth, compared to other two-year colleges around the state.
Another significant element of the proposed budget is an 82 percent decrease in funding for community college health benefits, which will push the burden for these services to the colleges, themselves.
In all, funding cuts for community colleges under this proposal total approximately $266 million.
During discussion in the House chamber, it was emphasized repeatedly that this budget is a preliminary document and will see significant changes before a final budget is adopted. Indeed, we have already observed bipartisan questioning of its provisions and "push back" from members of both parties.
It will be very important in the coming days that legislators hear from their constituents so they can understand the full impact these cuts would have on their communities. TCCTA members are urged to engage in this process, by talking with peers about these developments, and reading the TCCTA Blog to keep updated.
Members who contact their representatives should be polite but firm and clear about how this issue will affect them, their students, and their institutions ( see the TCCTA Guide to Political Participation). It is our belief that the proposed cuts, while having a serious impact on our ability to educate our students, will do very little to solve the budget crisis the state finds itself in. The imbalance between the serious consequences of the cuts, measured against any possible savings, should be pointed out to legislators.
In the several conversations we have had with legislators, it is clear that they perceive this only as a starting point, and that they are open to discussing other options. TCCTA is working diligently to learn more about the intentions of budget planners and make clear to them the concerns of our members.
We will continue to update members as information becomes available. Members are encouraged to watch the TCCTA blog closely, and attend the Legislative Update Session at the TCCTA convention in San Antonio next week, featuring the Association's lobbyist, Beaman Floyd.
To aid you in your communication, the TCCTA Legislative Program, Talking Points and Bill Tracking are available on our Web site, at http://www.tccta.org/legis/
Fred Newbury,
TCCTA President
Richard Moore,
Executive Director
Other organizations are certainly doing the same. I'll post links to their activities. This is a perfect demonstration of lobbying - the right to petition - in action. I'll try to make the most of it.
- TCCTA: Proposed Budget Cuts Detailed.
