Virtually no amendment with a price tag was added to the House budget, included one PHENOM proposed (#763) to increase funds for financial aid. The House budget maintains this year’s level of funding for financial aid – clearly inadequate as campuses will be forced to raise fees significantly.
All this bad news is in large part because of the House leadership’s refusal to consider any additional revenue-generating measures. PHENOM joined many human service and labor organizations in pushing for an amendment (#323) that would have raised $500 million per year by restoring the 12% tax rate on unearned income (dividends and interest).
9 brave Representatives voted in favor of the amendment to restore the 12% tax rate on unearned income. Please thank Representatives Peter Kocot, Liz Malia, Matt Patrick, Denise Provost, Angelo Scaccia, Carl Sciortino, Ellen Story, Benjamin Swan, and Tim Toomey.
PHENOM held phone-in days on several campuses and generated hundreds of calls to State Representatives in support of amendments 704, 763 and 323.
Now the action shifts to the Senate. Please call your State Senator about these issues, and especially why and how a 13% cut to our public colleges will be devastating for our students and our economy.
Co-Sponsors of Amendment 704
| Aguiar |
| Arciero |
| Atsalis |
| Balser |
| Basile |
| Brady |
| Brownsberger |
| Cabral |
| Calter |
| Cantwell |
| Clark |
| Coakley-Rivera |
| Donelan |
| Falzone |
| Fernandes |
| Fox |
| Garbally |
| Gobi |
| Golden |
| Grant |
| Guyer |
| Humason |
| Kane |
| Kocot |
| M. Walsh |
| McMurtry |
| Pignatelli |
| Puppolo |
| Quinn |
| Rice |
| Richardson |
| Rodrigues |
| Rosa |
| S. Walsh |
| Scibak |
| Scortino |
| Smizik |
| Smola |
| Spiliotis |
| St. Fleur |
| Sullivan |
| Welch |