Recently, Governor Deval Patrick vetoed over $122 million from the FY09 budget that had been sent to him by the Legislature on July 3. If allowed to stand, a number of the vetoes will have a major impact on public higher education, including:

$4 million cut from UMass.

$1.8 million cut from state colleges.

$4.8 million cut from the community colleges.

We need to contact our legislators and urge them to override these vetoes and support the restoration of the original amounts they had approved and which are so desperately needed on our campuses. There is a growing understanding of the vital role played by public higher education in fueling the state's economy, so we think such overrides are both appropriate and realistic.

The vetoes will be taken up by the Legislature before formal sessions for the legislative year end on July 31st, so it's important to act quickly.

Please contact your legislators and ask them to override the vetoes. If you don't know your state legislators or don't know how to contact them, you can access that information at:

BUDGET INFORMATION

At the last Membership Meeting on June 25, 2008, UMass Boston chapter's budget for the next year was approved by the membership. The total amount of money we have for our Chapter expenses is $3,500. The budget proposed by the Chapter Board devotes most of those dollars to food for membership meetings and funds to send members to union workshops. The major expenses that we face as a union -- MTA and NEA dues, costs of arbitration and bargaining, and wages and benefits for our one paid staff -- are covered within the Joint Executive Committee (JEC) budget (our local's budget) and so are not included in our chapter budget. The "PSUB Chapter Budget 2008-09" is posted here for your information.

You may also review the auditor's report for the past year. We're pleased to report that the local made it through our first-ever audit with flying colors!