Call your state representative today to relieve UMB of debt and help alleviate the budget crisis

11/15/17

Dear Colleague,

Relief for the budget cuts is now at the State House.  Please call your representatives today. 

The MTA has been working with local union leaders to build support for an amendment to the capital bond bill that would relieve UMass Boston of much of its debt. The filed amendment seeks to transfer debt that is currently “owned” by UMB to the state.  If enacted, this would greatly reduce the campus’s interest and principal payments, significantly alleviating the campus’s budget problems.  This capital bond bill will be debated in the Massachusetts House of Representative today, Wednesday, November 15. 

Please call your State Representative today to support the amendment.  Click here to find the name and contact information for your State Representative.   It is unclear when the amendment will be taken up, so it is important that calls be made as soon as possible!

Below is a script.

Hello may I speak with Representative ______ (if the Representative is not available ask to speak with his staff person who handles legislative issues):

My name is _______ and I live in ___. I am a constituent, and I work at UMass Boston.  I am calling to ask that you (the Representative) sign on to amendment #82 of House 4018 (the capital bond bill) that would transfer debt related to UMass Boston infrastructure to the state. The campus is being forced to pay for mistakes made in the original construction of UMass Boston decades ago, and this is now resulting in over forty layoffs of long-term employees and to cuts in classes and faculty. 

Your support for this amendment would be greatly appreciated.

Background:  The state has never fully funded the cost of rebuilding the substructure, moving the utilities corridor, and the cost of new buildings, all needed because of faulty construction of UMB in the 1970s.  This has led to our campus having to pay for these and contributing greatly to the budget deficit.  See https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/04/22/crumbling-garage-top-challenge-umass/T50v46u2xljEJYqpR2WdHN/story.html

The union is only as strong as members are involved.  Let us know if you want to be involved in the union, serve on our membership drive, a committee, or help with any of these issues. If you have not yet joined as a full member we urge you to do so now! (contact the FSU office for membership materials).

Marlene Kim

FSU President

Professor, Economics

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