“Remember in November” - Make Voting Your Priority This Fall

Elections have consequences. The NJ gubernatorial election in 2009 and the U.S. congressional elections of 2010 have had a serious and negative impact on students and school employees in our state and across the country. We have seen school funding slashed, programs lost, employees fired, benefits reduced, and collective bargaining narrowed. There is now an attempt by some legislators in this state to pass legislation to make NJ a Right to Work state. NJ has been a collective bargaining state for more than forty years. This proposal would roll back the clock and have dire consequences for all school employees and other middle class workers.

The MCCEA, through NJEA/NEA UniServ and headquarters staff, have begun to plan our response. One of the goals we have established for the 2011-2012 school year is to form an active, working Legislative Action Team in every MCCEA local association. If school employees in large num­bers become active participants on their Legislative Action Team, we can have a positive impact on the direction of the future of our profession and the future of public education. If we do not step up to the plate and become politically knowledgeable and active, expect more of the same.

MCCEA is active all summer. MCCEA held candidate screen­ings for Legislative Districts 25 and 26. Thanks to all who participated on these panels. At each screening, the panel reviewed candidate questionnaires, studied voting records, and interviewed candidates for NJ Assembly and NJ Senate to determine whether or not a recommendation for endorsement would move forward to the NJEA PAC Operating Committee. I am pleased to announce that the PAC Operating Committee has upheld our recommenda­tions. In LD 25, we have endorsed Rick Thoeni for State Senate and George Stafford and Gale Heiss Colucci for State Assembly. In LD 26, our panel did not recommend endorsements for office.

MCCEA also sent representatives to candidate screenings for LD 24, 27, and 40, held by other county associations. In LD 24, the NJEA PAC Op­erating Committee has endorsed Ed Selby for State Senate, Leslie Huhn and Jim Nye for State Assembly. State Senate, Mila Jasey & John McKeon for State Assembly. Finally, Cassandra Lazzara has been endorsed for State As­sembly in LD 40. Lazzara is a teacher and an active member of NJEA. A list of all endorsed candidates is at www.njea.org.

Now the work begins. The first LAT meeting is Thursday, September 15, at Susan Vigilante’s home. Our second meet­ing is Thursday, October 6, 2011, at the Hilton Garden Inn. Details of these events will be forwarded to all local presidents and legislative chairs. Local associations need to send a team of representatives to these meetings. Your future livelihood de­pends upon it.

So many crucial organizational issues need to be discussed at these meet­ings: our long term and short term goals; Regional Response Teams; cluster forma­tion; political involvement; strategies for the 20ll elections; phone banking; PAC fundraising; and the introductions of our endorsed candidates.

You have the power. The last two general elections have certainly proved that elections have consequences. Now it is time to prove that middle class and working class school employees can have a voice in Trenton. You have the power to act. You have the power to be heard. You have the power to change the direction of our state. You have the power to save your future and the future of public education. Now is the time to get active in your local association to show your power and grow your power!