Pay raises for Higher Education

The New Mexico State Legislative Finance Committee's message is clear they don't value the people who work in Higher Education in this state so in the long run they don't value the students in our Higher Education system.

Why is it so hard to get the New Mexico State Legislative Finance Committee to value education in our state? The Governor of our state, Bill Richardson, values the people who work with students. I am working hard to get him elected President of the United States. The Legislative Finance Committee has suggested a 2% raise for Higher Education Instructors and Staff. I am a staff member at a local community college and I have to take this personally. I am by no means a rich person. I get less than $25,000 a year gross pay so a 2% raise is going to be only $500. I am forced by the college to take 21 days off a year without pay because I work with students. Administrative staff gets paid vacations and paid holidays. I get six less paid holidays than people who work with computers and paperwork and no paid vacation days. When I ask why they get more in pay and benefits than I. The answer is always the same. The State Legislative Finance Committee doesn't value people who work with students. Is it any wonder why our state places so low when rated against other states? I am told that if I am smart that I should leave the field of education and work out in the industry. What kind of message is that for people who want to teach the next generation of New Mexicans? Why are we forcing people to leave the field of education just to make a living? I have been with the college for eight years and I simply don't have any hope that my pay will be getting any better in the future. I am a single mother with a preteen daughter. When will the New Mexico State Legislative Finance Committee stop living in the 1950s when it comes to the pay rates for people who work in the field of education? I truly hope that the governor of our state can find a few minutes in his busy schedule to deal with this state issue.

Here are just a few facts about my future pay raise which I won't get until September of 2008.

The president of my college gets a salary of around $200,000 so she will receive a raise of around $4,000 for the year. She gets her raise in July of 2008.

The Deans of my college gets a salary of around $100,000 so they will receive a raise of around $2,000 for the year. They also get their raises in July of 2008. The deans get 50% less than the president of the college.

A full time instructor gets a starting salary of around $40,000 so they will receive a raise of around $800 for the year. The instructors get 80% less than the president of the college.

A full time instructional technician earns around $25,000 after eight years of service so they will receive a raise of around $500 for the year. The full time instructional technicians get 87.5% less than the president of the college.

A part time instructional technician or tutor earns around $15,000 a year so they will receive a raise of around $300 for the year. The part time instructional technicians and tutors get 92.5% less than the president of the college.

It is only too clear who The New Mexico State Legislative Finance Committee values when it comes to Higher Education.

The New Mexico State Legislative Finance Committee

Title Name Role Party Contact Info.
Senator John Arthur Smith Chair Democrat john.smith@nmlegis.gov
Representative Luciano "Lucky" VarelaVice Chair Democrat 986-4318
Senator Sue Wilson Beffort Member Republican sue.beffort@nmlegis.gov
Representative Donald E. Bratton Member Republican don.bratton@nmlegis.gov
Senator Pete Campos Member Democrat petecampos@newmexico.com
Senator Joseph J. Carraro Member Republican joecarraro@aol.com
Senator Carlos R. Cisneros Member Democrat carlos.cisneros@nmlegis.gov
Senator Phil A. Griego Member Democrat senatorgriego@yahoo.com
Senator Timothy Z. Jennings Member Democrat (575) 623-8331
Representative Rhonda S. King Member Democrat (505) 832-5050
Representative Brian K. Moore Member Republican brian@ranchmkt.com
Senator Leonard Lee Rawson Member Republican lee.rawson@nmlegis.gov
Representative Henry Kiki Saavedra Member Democrat (505) 350-0486
Representative Nick L. Salazar Member Democrat nlsalazar@lanl.gov
Representative Edward C. Sandoval Member Democrat edward.sandoval@nmlegis.gov
Representative Jeannette O. Wallace Member Republican wallace@losalamos.com
Senator Rod Adair Designee Republican radair@dfn.com
Senator Ben D. Altamirano Designee Democrat 986-4733
Representative Andrew J. Barreras Designee Democrat (505) 315-7493
Representative Richard J. Berry Designee Republican richard.berry@nmlegis.gov
Representative Justine Fox-Young Designee Republican foxyoung@gmail.com
Senator Mary Jane M. Garcia Designee Democrat maryjane.garcia@nmlegis.gov
Representative Roberto "Bobby" J. Gonzales Designee Democrat rbjgonzales@kitcarson.net
Senator Clinton D. Harden Designee Republican charden@theosogroup.com

Representative John A. Heaton Designee Democrat jheaton@caverns.com
Senator Stuart Ingle Designee Republican 986-4702
Representative Larry A. Larrañaga Designee Republican larry@larranaga.com
Senator Carroll H. Leavell Designee Republican leavell4@leaco.net
Senator Linda M. Lopez Designee Democrat 986-4737
Representative Antonio Lujan Designee Democrat alujan@zianet.com
Representative Patricia A. Lundstrom Designess Democrat

patricia.lundstrom@nmlegis.gov
Senator Cisco McSorley Designee Democrat cisco.mcsorley@nmlegis.gov
Senator Mary Kay Papen Designee Democrat marykay.papen@nmlegis.gov
Representative Al Park Designee Democrat alpark.nm@gmail.com
Representative Danice Picraux Designee Democrat danice.picraux@nmlegis.gov
Senator Shannon Robinson Designee Democrat

shannon.robinson@nmlegis.gov
Senator Bernadette M. Sanchez Designee Democrat senb26@yahoo.com
Senator H. Diane Snyder Designee Republican hdsnyder@spinn.net
Representative Thomas C. Taylor Designee Republican tom@tomtaylor.net
Senator David Ulibarri Designee Democrat 986-4265
Representative Richard D. Vigil Designee Democrat rrrvigil@plateautel.net
Representative Peter Wirth Designee Democrat peter.wirth@nmlegis.gov

At this point in time I am giving all of these people an F for Higher Education!