[Note: Links and materials referenced in an archived posting may have expired.]

Enter headline

The House was to consider legislation to help Springfield Tuesday, but because of a major accident on the turnpike, this action has been postponed until Wednesday, June 9, at 12:30 p.m.

A new bill, supported by Democratic House and Senate leaders, will come before the House for consideration. This measure would preserve collective bargaining rights and employee benefits while providing fiscal relief to Springfield. It is a substitute for House Bill 4799, a measure filed by Gov. Mitt Romney that would strip public employees of their statutory employee benefits and collective bargaining protections.

The Romney plan also would allow the city to shift more than $17 million in state school aid to the municipal side of the budget, a shift that would not be allowed under the substitute proposal.

Springfield's schools have already experienced significant budget cuts and Springfield teachers have not received a raise in two years. [Read an editorial in The Boston Globe Tuesday that urged legislators not to cut the employees' collective bargaining rights.]

Please call or e-mail your representative and senator as soon as possible.

Please send the following message:

Please oppose the governor's bill (H. B. 4799) and support substitute legislation that helps Springfield's students and families by providing the city with fiscal relief while, at the same time, protecting the rights of Springfield's teachers and other public employees.