[Vision2020] Raise Our Taxes

[lfalen]

Thanks John
I am glad that there are a few people in the vision that can articulate things better than I do.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: "John Pool" jpool at moscow.com
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:03:47 -0700
To: "'Mo Hendrickson'" hend5953 at vandals.uidaho.edu, lfalen at turbonet.com, thansen at moscow.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Raise Our Taxes

> Mo,
> 
>  
> 
> I don't believe that I have any particular ax to grind with regard to, or
> against, any particular college. I KNOW there is good work being done at the
> university, much of it by people who have a lot more to do than they used to
> because there are fewer people amongst which to share the load. With regards
> to particular administrators I suspect any one has as many admirers as
> detractors, so I certainly don't feel that I'm in a position to advocate the
> removal of a particular person.
> 
>  
> 
> I think the frustration, that I share with many of my friends amongst the
> faculty and staff, is that while academic departments are being forced to do
> more with less, the central administration is not sharing the pain. If
> anything, there are MORE central administrators at a time when there are
> fewer people, and programs, to administer. The standard joke around our
> house is that, at the rate funds are being cut, pretty soon all the courses
> will be taught by video with the faculty at some far-away location, and all
> that will be left is a football team, a basketball team and, of course, the
> central administration.
> 
>  
> 
> My memory for particular cut-back periods is not good, so I can't name a
> date, but 5-6 (?) years ago the university was again faced with a budget
> shortfall. By some quirk of planning the central administration was lumped
> in with facilities for cost-savings. Facilities was decimated by cuts, but
> not a single administrator lost his job.   
> 
>  
> 
> Do I want to see intercollegiate football, or basketball, or track & field,
> cut? Not especially, though I've not been to a game in the dome in decades.
> Not being a fan doesn't mean that I don't see the value of athletics in a
> well-rounded academic environment. But I do want to see the pain shared, and
> I don't see it being shared in an equitable way. It seems like academic
> programs are being eviscerated, and athletics and the central administration
> are getting a free ride. Or so it seems to me. I don't want to see any
> particular ox being gored, but if there's going to be some gore-ing done, I
> think it only fair that all units of the university lose some of their
> life's blood.
> 
>  
> 
> John Pool 
> 
>  
> 
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
> On Behalf Of Mo Hendrickson
> Sent: Friday, April 23, 2010 11:08 AM
> To: lfalen at turbonet.com; thansen at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Raise Our Taxes
> 
>  
> 
> "This is provided that they first cut out the fat at the top. At the UI that
> means Baker, Mues and Daly-Laursen. "  
> 
> So Roger, you would cut these three people. SO you get rid of them, do you
> think the university could function without a VP of Finance and a Provost?
> Do you know what the expense is for running executive searches? Two of the
> three positions would be refilled, probably at a higher salary line, due to
> market salary increases.  Yes I think that administrators make a lot more
> than anyone should get paid, but at the same time that is the way the system
> is set up.  It is not unique to UI.   So your idea to save money would
> probably end up costing the university MORE money.  
> 
> I know that you have ties to the College of Ag, and yes they are in a
> particularly tough place financially.  But the whole of the UI is hurting.
> Your ideas seem to have a trend towards take from somewhere else and fix Ag,
> well when you take from somewhere that has nothing you end up hurting that
> department or college. Offices across campus are one deep, everyone is doing
> more and not getting paid for the extra duties.  It is time to be creative
> about how to raise monies, to recruit students, and create a sustainable
> working environment. That will not happen if we are all so focused on our
> own special interest.  
> 
> I think there are some folks on this list with such animosity towards UI
> that they refuse to see any good and only find the negative.  From where I
> sit, there are wonderful, fabulous, and amazing things happening at this
> university at ALL levels top to bottom, that some folks just don't see.  Yes
> money is tight and things suck in a lot of departments and colleges, try and
> find some positive in all of this.  Living in the negative is a miserable
> way to live. But hey that's your choice.
> 
> -Mo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:22:13 -0700
> > From: lfalen at turbonet.com
> > To: thansen at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Raise Our Taxes
> > 
> > I do not think it would be wise to raise the income tax or to increase
> taxes on savings of any kind. I would not be that opposed to a 0.5% increase
> in state sales taxes if it would go toward saving jobs in higher ed. This is
> provided that they first cut out the fat at the top. At the UI that means
> Baker, Mues and Daly-Laursen. There are also several former Department Heads
> that only took a 15% decrease when they stepped down. The former head of AVS
> teaches only one class and advises students, but is paid more than the other
> AVS professors. What a waste of funds. The Kibbie Dome update was billed as
> required because of safety issues an paid for by doners. That is what Nellis
> says about the SBOE approved update of The Jensen engineering Building. I
> don't believe it. The staff people in the College of Ag will have to have
> half their salary provided by their PI. If the PI can not come up with the
> funds they will be placed on half time.Just who can afford to work half
> time. A!
> > ny of the
> > above cuts would save a lot of staff jobs. There is no need for
> administrators if there arn't enough staff people to to run the programs.
> The students are also hurt when these programs are not adequately staffed.
> > Roger
> > -----Original message-----
> > From: "Tom Hansen" thansen at moscow.com
> > Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:23:51 -0700
> > To: "Moscow Vision 2020" vision2020 at moscow.com
> > Subject: [Vision2020] Raise Our Taxes
> > 
> > > Courtesy of the Illinois Issues Blog at:
> > > 
> > > http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/raise-our-taxes.html
> > > 
> > > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > 
> > > Wednesday, April 21, 2010
> > > "Raise our taxes"
> > > By Jamey Dunn and Rachel Wells
> > > 
> > > Citizens advocating for an income tax increase to avoid deep cuts to the
> > > state budget packed the Illinois Capitol today for one of the largest
> > > rallies in recent history.
> > > 
> > > The secretary of state's office estimated that 12,000 people
> participated
> > > in the march and 15,000 total were in the Capitol complex as part of the
> > > rally.
> > > 
> > > With chants of "We'll remember in November" and "Save our schools. Save
> > > our state," protesters marched around the Statehouse and then filled the
> > > halls. They came to advocate for education and social services, such as
> > > mental health care, addiction counseling and in-home care for the
> elderly.
> > > 
> > > "We have tens of thousands of people whose well-being is at stake if
> this
> > > state does not act. So I'm here to advocate for responsible decisions, a
> > > tax increase to support social services in this state, and I'm happy to
> > > join these thousands and thousands of people who have come out here to
> do
> > > this," said Rev. Bob Rasmus, board member for Lutheran Social Services
> and
> > > a pastor in Urbana.
> > > 
> > > Jo Ann Woods-Payne from ABJ Community Services on the southeast side of
> > > Chicago said she came out today to support HB 174 so her organization
> can
> > > continue to provide programs such as foster care, job training for
> public
> > > aid recipients and a clothing and food pantry. She said the state is
> > > behind on its payments to ABJ for the social services it offers in the
> > > community.
> > > 
> > > "We feel possibly that the income tax needs to be raised if that's what
> > > it's going to take to help keep those programs open for our clients,"
> she
> > > said.
> > > 
> > > "We have to have a balanced budget, and we passed an income tax over in
> > > the Senate, which is now in the House, which provides $4.3 billion. So
> we
> > > hope that they would take a second look," Senate President John
> Cullerton
> > > said of HB 174. "We passed the bill. And that's the solution to a lot of
> > > our problems."
> > > 
> > > However, Republicans in both chambers do not seem any closer to
> supporting
> > > a tax increase.
> > > 
> > > "I like having [the rally participants] come here because there is not
> > > better way for me to explain my position on what's going in this
> building
> > > and the way I think this state works its way out of its fiscal mess than
> > > to talk one-on-one individually with those people," said Sen. Dale
> > > Righter, a Mattoon Republican.
> > > 
> > > Righter said many of his constituents were at the rally but the message
> of
> > > chants such as "Raise our taxes" did not echo the opinions of the
> majority
> > > of the people he represents. "I don't know that that kind of theater is
> > > necessarily representative of most the people in my district."
> > > 
> > > Righter voted against HB 174 last year and said he will not consider a
> tax
> > > increase until there are cuts and reforms to Medicaid, which he says is
> > > growing in an unsustainable way.
> > > 
> > > "If you don't fix those two things first . it's all but a guarantee
> [that]
> > > a tax increase comes, you layer a whole bunch, billions of dollars of
> new
> > > taxpayer money, on top of what's happening here and then it all seeps
> > > through the cracks that they've created in the last eight years and then
> > > we start over in a couple years."
> > > 
> > > Righter said that he doesn't think the rally will change the minds of
> many
> > > legislators who are opposed to a tax increase. He also doesn't think
> > > Democrats are willing to take the political risk to pass a tax increase
> > > before the November general elections.
> > > 
> > > -----------------------
> > > 
> > > Photos from the rally . . .
> > > 
> > >
> http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dYUVdJZjJNw/S893i7auZRI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/nN-JsalFWeA/s1
> 600/rallyshot1.jpg
> > > 
> > >
> http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dYUVdJZjJNw/S893zqyGl4I/AAAAAAAAAMY/JTHlLfmJtV4/s3
> 20/rallyroof.jpg
> > > 
> > > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > 
> > > Seeya round town, Moscow.
> > > 
> > > Tom Hansen
> > > Moscow, Idaho
> > > 
> > > "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
> change
> > > and the Realist adjusts his sails."
> > > 
> > > - Unknown
> > > 
> > > 
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