Stop the State Budget Cuts

Temple University and Pennsylvania state-related universities face an immediate financial crisis. We need to TAKE ACTION NOW to stand up for our students, ourselves, Temple and higher education.

Governor Ed Rendell refuses to apply $42 million in federal stimulus funds (including $11 million for Temple) for the four schools, despite his promise to do so for next year last February. Now he does not regard the state-relateds as "fully public universities" because they are not under the absolute control of the Commonwealth.

According to the Governor’s new plan, the stimulus money would go only to the state universities and community colleges.

In addition, Rendell proposes to cut $21 million from Temple’s state appropriation, a 13% reduction.

To balance the budget, he calls for a 0.5% increase in the personal income tax. The state needs to find the money. It cannot afford to slash funding for its premier public higher education institutions.

This budget will hit the universities’ operations badly, especially harming students. Fewer faculty teaching larger classes, and cuts in financial aid and support for students may be coming. How will Temple weather these cuts?

Our voices have to be heard in Harrisburg. Adequate funding for higher education is crucial to the welfare of the Commonwealth.

Tell lawmakers NOW that you oppose Governor Rendell’s plan to withhold stimulus money from Temple, Penn State, Pitt, and Lincoln. The budget may be passed this week. Act NOW.  Tell your family, friends, and students about this.  Ask them to act too.

NB: You may add to or change the suggested message below. Fill in your HOME address, otherwise your message will not go to your own state representative and senator.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Urgent! Save Temple University Appropriations

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am extremely concerned about Governor Rendell's proposed withdrawal of federal stimulus funds from Temple University, as well as Pitt, Penn State, and Lincoln.

I am writing as a private citizen. In my job I am represented by the Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP) Local 4531 and AFT-PA. I support the following course of action as a way to balance the budget and support higher education:

1. Use the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds from the ARRA for the purpose intended, i.e., to restore the $42 million that was cut by Governor Rendell last fall.

2. Restore adequate funding for higher education, i.e., at the level originally appropriated for 2008-2009.

3. Increase state revenues to meet the state's budget shortfall.

The proposed cuts in funding across the state will have dire consequences for Temple and the other state-relateds, which enroll over 150,000 students a year. I urge you to adequately fund Temple and the other state-related universities.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 29, 2009


Background Information

The Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP) AFTPA Local 4531 calls for your attention to the budget crisis facing the Commonwealth and its effect on you and your students.  If we don't speak up about the importance of higher education, who will?

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth budget situation is dire.  Temple and other state-related universities (Pitt, Penn State, and Lincoln) may not receive any funding from the federal stimulus money provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

The deadline for passing a new budget is June 30.  Lawmakers have found little consensus on the budget, including where cuts should be made and what taxes – if any – should be raised.  A budget that could seriously hurt higher education could be passed any day.
 
The appropriations to Temple, Penn State, Pitt, and Lincoln remain up in the air while Gov. Rendell skirmishes with the House and Senate over a proposed income-tax hike.  The Governor would like to raise the state income tax by 0.5%, raising the rate to 3.57%.  Those collecting Social Security and pensions would be exempted, as well as anyone earning less than about $32,000.  But there is enormous opposition to any tax hike by some legislators.

Without some kind of tax increase, the state budget will have to suffer drastic cuts.  Without revenue enhancements, the Governor won't use the $42 million in ARRA stimulus money to restore funding to the state-relateds, of which $10.5 million should go to Temple.  He will instead use the money for state universities and community colleges.

One reason Temple and the other state-relateds may be targeted for cuts is Rendell’s opinion, as he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that the four state-related institutions “are not fully public universities.” 
Last fall the Governor warned Temple that about $10.5 million dollars would be taken out of Temple’s state appropriations.  This is money that the stimulus funds were to make up.  The Governor is now cutting $500 million from his proposed budget - which includes a further $21 million cut for Temple.

But this year the budget gap (about $3.5 billion) is so large that that there are some calling for appropriations to things such as clinics, museums, public television, and Temple and the other three state-related universities to be deferred until a date much later than tomorrow’s budget deadline.  And there are even some saying that these various institutions should not get funded at all.  That's unlikely, but it's scary that anyone is even imagining such a thing.  If Temple receives no state appropriations at all, the hole (at least $170 million) in Temple's budget would be a disaster.  Students would suffer significantly.

We are asking you to request the legislature to support:
1. Using the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds from the ARRA for the purpose intended, i.e., to restore the $42 million that was cut by Governor Rendell last fall.
2. Restoring adequate funding for higher education, i.e., at the level originally appropriated for 2008-09.
3. Increasing state revenues to meet the state's budget shortfall.