Supreme Court rules for Franken

Today the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of Al Franken, likely ending the ongoing U.S. Senate election saga.

The ruling, in part, reads:

…we affirm the decision of the trial court that Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled under Minn. Stat. § 204C.40 (2008) to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota.

 It was a 5-0 decision, signed by every justice that elected to hear the case. It ends with a single word: “Affirmed.”

 Earlier this week Governor Tim Pawlenty said he planned to sign the election certificate if ordered to by the court.

 A rally is planned for tomorrow at noon at the state capitol. 

MAPE’s contract receives unanimous approval

MAPE’s contract received unanimous approval Monday by the legislative Subcommittee on Employee Relations. Bargaining agreements for AFSCME Council 5, Minnesota Management Association and several others also were approved.

MAPE’s new contract now goes into effect on July 1. The opportunity for the full Legislature to approve MAPE’s contract will come during the 2010 legislative session. MAPE’s new contract runs through June 30, 2011.

MAPE members overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contract on June 22, with 92 percent of MAPE members voting approved a new two-year contract.

Team MAPE News 6/24

MAPE members overwhelmingly approve contract. MAPE members overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contract on Monday with the state of Minnesota. In ballots that were tabulated Monday, 92 percent of MAPE members voting approved a new two-year contract. Voting was conducted through the mail. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND TO READ A THANK YOU LETTER TO ALL MAPE MEMBERS.

Member survey - MAPE is conducting a member survey to gather feedback from members regarding MAPE's communication and engagement activities between January 2009 and now. Between contract negotiations and the state budget crisis, it has been a busy spring for MAPE. We put several improved and new practices in place to ensure members were provided relevant, timely information and opportunities to be actively engaged in their union. CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE MAPE MEMBER SURVEY.

GRC Legislative Feedback -. The MAPE Government Relations Committee is now accepting input on the 2010 MAPE Legislative Priorities. The updated document will be discussed at the September Delegate Assembly meeting. The GRC priorities provide direction for our legislative efforts at the Capitol, endorsement screenings and caucus resolutions. CLICK HERE TO PROVIDE THE GRC WITH YOUR LEGISLATIVE FEEDBACK.

Pawlenty eliminates the Political Contribution Refund program. The Governor's unallotment cuts will decimate state government. He has unilaterally cut agency funding and programs that help provide basic health care for poor Minnesotans. The Governor eliminated the Political Contribution refund program. This program allows working Minnesotans to donate $50, or $100 for a married couple, to the candidate or party unit of their choice, and receive a full refund. Contribute today, this program will be eliminated on July 1st! CLICK HERE AND PLEDGE TO MAKE A PCR CONTRIBUTION BY JUNE 30TH 2009!

Next deficit: $7.3 bililon - The legislative session is over. The Governor will use his unilateral unallotment power to balance the budget. But what about the next biennium? A report released yesterday by Politics in Minnesota estimates the next deficit, if inflation is factored in, will top $7 billion. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT FROM PIM.

Thank you MAPE members for your strong support during contract negotiations!

Next deficit: $7.3 bililon

The legislative session is over. The Governor will use his unilateral unallotment power to balance the budget. But what about the next biennium?

A report released yesterday by Politics in Minnesota estimates the next deficit, if inflation is factored in, will top $7 billion.

Click here to read the full report.

Pawlenty eliminates the Political Contribution Refund program.

The Governor’s unallotment cuts will decimate state government. He has unilaterally cut agency funding and programs that help provide basic health for poor Minnesotans.

The Governor also chose to eliminate the Political Contribution refund program. This program allows working Minnesotans to donate $50, or $100 for a married couple, to the candidate or party unit of their choice, and receive a full refund.  This cut will be put in place on July 1^st, so contributions made today will still qualify for a refund.

You are free to choose who you would like to contribute to. Since this is a very time sensitive issue, Team MAPE would like to suggest a few elected officials and party units that you could contribute to:

Minnesota DFL

Click here to contribute online

255 E Plato Blvd
St Paul, MN 55107

Republican Party of Minnesota
525 Park Street, Suite 250

St. Paul, MN 55103

Representative John Persell

Preliminary 2009 Team MAPE Vote Score: 100%

Citizens for John Persell

PO Box 322
Bemidji, MN 56619-0322

Representative Michael Obermueller

Preliminary 2009 Team MAPE Vote Score: 88%

Obermueller for Minnesotans

3874 Danbury Trl
Eagan, MN 55123

Representative Gail Kulick Jackson

Preliminary 2009 Team MAPE Vote Score: 100%

Gail Kulick Jackson Volunteer Committee

PO Box 192
Milaca, MN 56353

Representative Paul Rosenthal

Preliminary 2009 Team MAPE Vote Score: 94%

Citizens for (Paul) Rosenthal

4721 Hibiscus Ave
Edina, MN

MAPE members overwhelmingly approve contract

MAPE members overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contract on Monday with the state of Minnesota. In ballots that were tabulated Monday, 92 percent of MAPE members voting approved a new two-year contract. Voting was conducted through the mail.

The Legislative Coordinating Commission's Subcommittee on Employee Relations (SER) is scheduled to review state collective bargaining agreements for interim approval on Monday, June 29.

Click here to read a thank you letter from MAPE leadership to members regarding the contract vote.

MAPE Unallotment Statement

CLICK HERE TO READ A FULL REPORT OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR PLANS TO CUT.

Statement of Jim Monroe,
Executive Director, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees,
On Governor Pawlenty’s Unallotment Announcement
June 16, 2009 

“Governor Pawlenty’s unallotment priorities speak volumes to the fact he has turned his back on Minnesotans while turning his attention to the national spotlight.

While he cuts local government aid to communities which will delay hiring police and firefighters, or lay them off,  Governor Pawlenty would rather threaten the safety of Minnesotans than lay off members of his full-time security detail who travel all over the country with him. 

When it comes to education, Governor Pawlenty turns his back on the public school system and the University of Minnesota which educated him and helped him pull himself up by his bootstraps.  Pawlenty’s cuts to state colleges and universities coupled with payment delays to school districts will shred the bootstraps of every high school and potential college student in this state who desires a brighter future.

How can Governor Pawlenty call himself a Sam’s Club Governor when he increases the number of uninsured in this state by 30,000 people knowing full well that every Sam’s Club member and every other Minnesotan will end up paying for our uninsured citizens?

Governor Pawlenty commented at today’s press conference that unallotment will put additional pressure on state agencies. MAPE would like to offer a solution of where we would work with the Governor to find deficit reduction solutions.  MAPE believes the deficit can be reduced while maintaining vital services provided by state employees.  The first two areas to look for waste are 1.9 billion dollars in outside contracts and over 100 million dollars in bloated management levels in the Pawlenty administration.”   

 -30-

CLICK HERE TO READ A FULL REPORT OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR PLANS TO CUT.

Team MAPE News 6/10

Team MAPE Newsletter

June 10th, 2009

 

·  MAPE Revenue Employees Fight Tax Scofflaws - MAPE members are spearheading efforts to collect $472 million in unpaid taxes. Yesterday MPR reported on state efforts to collect tax revenue. These funds were first highlighted by MAPE through contacts with legislators and a capitol press conference. After the MPR report aired, MAPE Statewide President Chet Jorgenson issued a statement thanking Governor Pawlenty for taking MAPE's budget-cutting suggestions to heart.

CLICK HERE TO READ OR LISTEN TO THE MPR STORY.

CLICK HERE TO READ PRESIDENT JORGENSON'S STATEMENT.

 

·  What is "unallotment"? We've all heard that the Governor plans to use the unprecedented unallotment process to balance a $2.7 billion budget deficit that remains for fiscal years 2010-2011. But, what exactly does that mean? Unallotment means the Governor can cut or delay spending of general fund money. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT UNALLOTMENT AND HOW IT MAY PLAY OUT.

·  2009 Team MAPE Legislative Report - While the 2009 Legislative Session did not end as well as some had hoped, MAPE was successful in preventing debilitating cuts, increasing recognition for MAPE through our cost-saving ideas, and coordinating our legislative and contract campaign efforts. Thank you MAPE members for the key role you played in these accomplishments! CLICK HERE TO READ THE 2009 TEAM MAPE LEGISLATIVE LEGISLATIVE REPORT.

·  Please check seniority rosters to make sure your information is accurate. The seniority rosters that are being produced by agencies now will be the rosters used for any layoff activity during the upcoming biennium beginning on July 1, 2009. Now is the time to check the rosters to determine if the hire or promotion dates listed for your classification(s) are correct. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

·  Advanced, basic steward training courses scheduled for August. MAPE members have opportunities to participate in the basic and advanced steward training courses in August of 2009.Basic steward training will be held on August 4th. The two-day, advanced steward training course will be held Aug. 12-13. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Remember, contract voting ballots due back by June 19th!

What is "unallotment"?

We’ve all heard that the Governor plans to use the unprecedented unallotment process to balance a $2.7 billion budget deficit that remains for fiscal years 2010-2011.  But, what exactly does that mean?  Unallotment means the Governor can cut or delay spending of general fund money.  The cuts or delays may be done in part or in whole, but he may not transfer money from other accounts to the general fund, he may not raise revenues, he may not increase fees, and he may not decrease other funds that are not facing a deficit.

 

If the Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget determines that receipts for the general fund will be less than forecasted and the amount available for the remainder of the biennium will be less than required, unallotment may be the tool used to balance the state’s budget.  The statute specifically deals with “prior” appropriations and transfers requiring the Governor to unallot from a budget already put in place.  Therefore, the Governor will await the July 1 biennium start date to begin the FY 2010-11 unallotment process.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HOW THIS PROCESS WILL PLAY OUT