Rally for a Moral Budget
As you may have heard, thanks to advocacy by many of our members, coalition partners, and legislative allies, there were important improvements in the state budget that passed the Appropriations Committee on April 18th. With just a few weeks remaining before the legislative session wraps up, we want to ask you to reach out to legislators once again and consider taking action with our allies to support the call for a more equitable budget. As you may know, Connecticut is facing a multibillion-dollar surplus. Many residents of the state are insisting that now is the time to invest in our communities, rather than allow the spending cap to block progress on critical needs like health care and education. We encourage you to reach out to legislators regarding (1) addressing the remaining shortfall for UConn and UConn Health; and (2) addressing the problem of the spending cap.
UConn and UConn Health
According to a report by the UConn administration, the Appropriations Committee budget added a total of $75M in FY24 and $37.5M in FY25 in one-time funds to help address shortfalls across UConn and UConn Health. It also maintains the one time ARPA funding as proposed by the Governor of $73.6M in FY24 and $36.8M in FY25. In addition, the Appropriations Committee budget preserved UConn and UConn Health as separate budgeted agencies with distinct budgets and maintained the Governor’s budget neutral fringe proposal and the reductions in the block grants to fund the additional fringe reimbursement. It reduced UConn funding by $20.6M and UConn Health funding by $39.8M in both FY24 and FY25 to offset the expected increase in fringe benefits funding. The total remaining shortfall for UConn in the Appropriations Committee budget, according to the UConn administration, is $69.7 million.
In our opinion, the best way to persuade lawmakers to fully fund UConn and UConn Health is by thanking them for their support and reminding them of the important work that you and your colleagues do for the people of Connecticut. For examples, you may refer to these highlights from UCHC-AAUP members’ testimony to the Appropriations Committee: UCHC-AAUP testimony highlights
You can find your legislators’ contact details by clicking this link: FIND MY LEGISLATOR.
Rally for a Moral Budget
Even our strongest allies in the legislature cannot fix the problem of inadequate appropriations without first addressing the problem of the spending cap. UCHC-AAUP is a member of the State Employees’ Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC), which has been working with Recovery for All CT to ensure that the General Assembly hears a united demand for a more equitable Connecticut. According to our SEBAC allies, “Connecticut has immediate needs. If we do not address the spending cap, higher education will be grossly underfunded, which will result in significant layoffs for higher education state employees and tuition hikes at public colleges and universities. And while the spending cap has a particularly strong impact on higher education this year, we will all be negatively impacted if it is not addressed.”
Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., Recovery for All is planning a major demonstration at the Capitol to demand better choices. If you would be interested in carpooling to the rally from our union office at the Exchange, please let us know.
WHAT: Recovery for All Coalition “Rally for a Moral Budget”
WHEN: Wednesday, May 17 beginning at 6:00PM (come when available)
WHERE: the North Steps of the Connecticut State Capitol Building, located at 210 Capitol Avenue in Hartford (free parking available in the adjacent Legislative Office Building garage)
Thank you for your time and dedication to protecting the future of UConn Health and creating a brighter future for all of Connecticut.
In solidarity,
Lara and Laura
Laura Haynes, UCHC-AAUP Chapter President
Lara Shepard-Blue, UCHC-AAUP Executive Director