[Vision2020] A proposal to balance the budget

[lfalen]

My wife also  took a furlough last year and offered to take one again this year. She does not have any option. If her boss does not have a grant, she is cut.
Roger

----Original message-----
From: bear at moscow.com
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:50:22 -0800
To: "lfalen" lfalen at turbonet.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A proposal to balance the budget

> 
> Roger,
> 
> As someone who has had to face the cuts imposed by CALS, I find your
> suggestions a but short sighted.  I did not have science or research in my
> title and have over 8 years of seniority but I still was laid off by the
> College and to retain employment and benefits was forced to take a
> demotion.  I was also one of the few people in CALS that had to take
> furlough days last year.  Yet you suggest I should be willing and even
> happy to accept a 5% cut!  While I feel for the people who now have to be
> paid via grant funding via the PI, the fact remains that is an option for
> them.  Why shouldn't the extension offices as state and federal employees
> take the same cuts that have been imposed by the Gov. as the on campus
> departments and offices have had to absorb?
> 
> All I am saying is that the problem is more complex than everyone take a
> 5% cut across the board.
> 
> Chris Price
> 
> 
> 
> > Here are some proposals to balance Federal, State and University  Budgets
> > .
> > First I would take care of the mentally ill, the disabled and our
> > veterans.
> > All government employees (state and Federal) should take a 5% pay cut. The
> > private sector has taken cuts(except for Wall Street and a few others).
> > This should start with all Federal legislators. State legislators are not
> > paid that much in Idaho.
> > The University could easily balance their budget by doing so. Instead they
> > are making cuts at the low end. Cals is making the cuts on those staff
> > that have science or research in their title. This is a highly arbitrary
> > way to do it and is not based on merit or seniority.  The PI that they
> > work for will have to come up with  half their salary from other sources
> > such as grants. My wife has been cut to 87.5%. She is now paid for 7 hours
> > but still puts in about 12 hours a day. In june she will probably be cut
> > to half time. This means that her benefits will no longer be picked up by
> > the University. One can not afford to work for that, She has worked for
> > the UI for over 40 years. She has 3 more years to go before reaching SS
> > retirement age.
> > An across the board 5% cut would not hurt anyone that much and it would
> > easier to save the desired dollars than cutting some staff by 80 or 50%
> > The UI has opened up 4 offices in China to recruit students. Why? The UI
> > is a land grant college. They should take care of their base first.
> > Recruit in China when times are better.
> > Other ways to save money.  Review all government agencies for ways they
> > can be reduced. All agencies should come with a sunset. If after a set
> > period of time they would need to be re-evaluated and authorised. If the
> > wern't they would go out of existence. All lawmakers should be on the same
> > benefits that they legislate for the rest of us.
> > All cuts in pay or personnel should start at the top. The UI like most
> > other government agencies have greatly expanded at the administrative
> > level. That is where the cuts should start. Diversity is important, but
> > the UI does nt need in excess of 20 people to handle it. There   should be
> > on director and an  assistant. They can then work with someone in the
> > individual departments or colleges.
> > If Administrators were trimmed  back at the Federal, State and University
> > level more programs and jobs could be save on balance.
> > Help the handicapped fine jobs. When I was with Carnation and Manna Pro
> > our Small World line of Wild bird seeds were packaged by handicapped
> > people.
> > These are only a few things that can be done to balance the budget and at
> > the same time save valuable programs such as aid for the mentally ill.
> > Roger
> >
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> 
>