More Reax

The reaction to the Governor's proposed cuts continue.

This will round out all the pressure points of the proposed cuts, legislators are voicing opposition to proposed cuts in member items during an election year, it is difficult to feel their pain.

Member items, an Albany euphemism for pork projects, would be cut in half this year to $100 million.

In an election year, some legislators could find those cuts especially stinging.

“It puts us in an incredibly tough spot right before primaries, right before the general election,” said Micah Z. Kellner, a Democratic assemblyman who represents the Upper East Side of Manhattan. “It’s the hardest thing in the world to say, ‘Sorry, I promised you $10,000 for your playroom at your kindergarten center, but I don’t have that $10,000 to give you anymore.’ ”

This is from the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities.

News Notes

Vol. 15 , No. 22 , August 11, 2008 In this issue... ·         Call to Action: Governor Paterson proposes six percent cut to TAP, “Bundy” Aid, and opportunity programs; E-mail elected officials now to protect student and institutional aid.

Facing a projected State Budget deficit of $6.4 billion for SFY 2009-10, earlier today Governor Paterson proposed a six percent cut to all local assistance programs (except school aid and welfare) including the state Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Direct Institutional “Bundy” Aid, Higher Education Opportunity Programs (HEOP), the Science and Technology Entry Programs (STEP/C-STEP), and Liberty Partnership Programs.

The Legislature will be asked to vote on more than $600 million in total cuts during a special “economic” session called by the Governor to begin next Tuesday, August 19. If passed by the legislature, the cuts would take effect immediately.

With a grim budget forecast and a short timeframe to act, cIcu is calling on the higher education community to e-mail state legislators to express support for student and institutional aid programs. Click here to contact your elected officials.

The Governor has already proposed more than $100 million in cuts on SUNY and is imposing $50 million in cuts on CUNY in addition to those reductions already enacted. Public institutions face a 10 percent total budget cut. Additional higher education funding is at risk as the Governor has proposed a reduction of 50 percent for all Legislative and Executive Branch member item spending authorized in the 2008-09 Enacted Budget. 


For more information on Governor Paterson’s $2.6 billion Budget savings plan, click here.

— Abe Lackman

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