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A Message from the President

Spring is in the air, and I welcome it with open arms. It feels great to shed the heavy coats and gloves, and to spend more time outdoors. I'm sure you share my sentiments and feel as if a burden has been lifted from us.As much as I enjoy spring, it is a busy time for our Union.

We are planning our activities to promote the school budget, and we are deep into our Vote Cope drive. Unfortunately, our Vote Cope contributions have fallen off, significantly. Although I don't take this personally, I am dismayed. Why should you contribute to Vote Cope? The answer lies in the acronym itself:

Voice Of Teachers in Education

Committee On Political Education

VOTE COPE is NYSUT's non-partison political action fund. It pools the voluntary contributions of members across the state to support political action that aims to protect our incomes and careers, health and safety, retirement and health care. Just last week, VOTE COPE funds went toward securing teacher tenure. When state legislators, at Bloombergs insistence, attempted to tie teacher tenure to student's test scores, NYSUT lobbied fiercely against it, and won! Thanks to NYSUT's lobbying effort, made possible by VOTE COPE, millions of dollars were restored to Long Island schools this year. NYSUT is currently lobbying for a 55/25 law for all retirees. In recent years, VOTE COPE has also helped to secure:

. A permanent cost of living adjustment for retirees (COLA)

. Teacher center funding

· The elimination of Tier inequities, such as the mandatory 3% contribution for tier 3 and 4 members. Thanks to VOTE COPE you get an automatic 3% increase in your 11th year of membership!

· Historic over-rides of vetoes that have restored billions of dollars in education and health care funding.

In short, YOU SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO VOTE COPE TO HELP YOURSELF I Corporate America spends millions on lobbying and advertising to advance their corporate agenda and get their message out that taxes need to be cut. We have to balance that with our own message, and VOTE COPE provides us with the funds to do that.

If you are still unsure about why you should contribute, please give me a call. I will be happy to send you a more comprehensive list of the legislation that VOTE COPE supports. Please don't be a weak link in our union. Support the VOTE COPE drive and make your contribution today. Checks can be sent to Rosemary Segerdahl, at the Shore Road School.

In Unity,

Gloria