Get out the vote: K-12 on UUP’s agenda

UUPer Fred Floss, a professor of economics and finance at Buffalo State, believes that public education deserves support from pre-K through post-graduate.

Don Benker, a high school math teacher, shares that belief.

The two educators, both activists in their respective unions, have teamed up to spearhead a campaign urging their NYSUT colleagues to vote in support of school budgets May 20.

Their expertise with numbers lets them all too easily tally the painful impact “no” votes would have: steep program cuts, unfilled positions or layoffs and increased class sizes.

“If we’re going to prosper, now is the wrong time to cut education,” Floss said. “If New York state is to recover from the recession, it’s important that students get a quality K-12 education so they’re prepared for college.”

UUP is affiliated with NYSUT, which lobbies on behalf of public education, pre-K through post-grad, including SUNY, CUNY and the state’s community colleges.

Believing that support must be reciprocal, Floss is determined to turn out higher education unionists for school budget votes, an especially challenging task this year.

Floss, a member of UUP’s statewide Executive Board, is concerned that New York state’s financial woes could cast a long shadow at the polls.

“Our worry is that local-level taxes will rise and it will be harder to pass a district budget because it will be the last piece voted on,” Floss explained.

School budget vote 2003 promises to be a tough challenge for all districts in light of the most grim state budget climate in years. Statewide, NYSUT analysts estimate only 10 percent to 20 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in school budget votes. More than most years, every vote counts. “Low turnout is a concern in general elections, but in a school budget vote it has a direct impact on the well-being of fellow members,” explained Benker, who is president of the Kenmore Teachers Association in Western New York. “If you compare our turnout to general voting numbers in off-year elections, yes, our members vote. But that’s not the comparison you should be making.

“To me, it’s inexcusable for any NYSUT member to miss the opportunity to vote on the school budget and support pro-education candidates.”

State finances a concern

School budget votes typically come at a difficult time for higher education members; many are in the midst of administering final exams or preparing for graduation. Nonetheless, it’s important for UUPers to support their K-12 colleagues, Floss said.

“UUP has 28,000 members statewide and they should all be voting,” Floss said. “Given that some of these elections are determined by 50 or 100 votes, it doesn’t take much for us to make a difference.”

Executive Vice President Alan Lubin, who heads NYSUT’s Legislative Department, believes the campaign’s timing couldn’t be better. “New York is one of the few states on its way to meeting requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act,” Lubin said. “Despite these achievements, Gov. Pataki has proposed a state budget that would force layoffs, program cuts and double-digit property tax hikes.

This year, more than ever before, we must rally around public education,” Lubin continued.

Floss and Benker are organizing a push in Western New York that includes local phone-bank operations and letter-writing to build support for the May 20 school budget votes.

“As budget time draws nearer, we’ll try to get local members to volunteer for the campaign,” said Benker, explaining that local voices are more likely to get members to district polls.

Reinforcing the bridge

UUP President William Scheuerman plans a mailing to members urging them to the polls. “UUP is always interested in reinforcing the bridge that connects us with our sister locals in NYSUT,” he said “By helping to get out the school budget vote this spring, we’re not only strengthening our union, but our communities as well.”

UUP statewide Political Action Committee Chair Thomas Tucker is contacting regional PAC leaders, “enlisting them to contact campus coordinators to mobilize their memberships.” Ron Bongi, VOTE/COPE coordinator for NYSUT Election Districts 1 and 2 in Western New York, plans to make his pitch at election district events.

Blueprints for the campaign were forged while Benker and Floss celebrated another legislative victory. “We first discussed the issue at a post-election victory celebration (in November) for Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D-Kenmore),” said Benker. “We really felt the union needed to do something to help increase member participation in these votes.”

Both agreed the campaign needed to be statewide. “It’s not simply a Western New York problem,” Floss said.

— Kara E. Smith