Government Restructure Taskforce
July 9th, 2010
The recent Interim committee meeting of the Legislative Task Force on Restructuring State Government was held July 19th and 20th, 2010. The focus of this meeting was on education, specifically the Public Education Department (PED) and the Higher Education Department (HED). Presentations were made by the agency heads from each of these departments and there was a great deal of discussion about the funding formulas used by each of these Departments. PED and HED have different missions and different funding formulas, however, neither funding formula appears to facilitate the mission of the respective Departments.
There was general agreement among legislators that local school boards should retain the level of autonomy that allows them to meet the needs of students in their areas/localities. And there was acknowledgment (by John A. Smith) that we currently have no systemic method for changing either the funding formula or the basic program of the academic institutions. Smith also expressed concern that the Board of Regents for each University be shielded from the interference of politics.
Our plan of action is to continue providing input and feedback to this committee, along with other interim committees, to remind them that we are the people implementing their decisions and should be included in the process. We refuse to be equated with inanimate objects to be used and discarded. We should actively support the candidates who are receptive to and working for the objectives of Labor and are willing to defend the interests of working families of NM.
Respectfully,
Glen Carlberg, Steward
CWA Local 7076
