Executive Committee President Butterfield reviewed a luncheon meeting on November 7 with the executive committee of department heads and the Hamilton County legislative delegation. Issues raised included health insurance, cashability of retirement benefits, but focused on UTC's fiscal problems after three years of budget cuts. The legislators also indicated that letters to the editor and columns in the newspaper by faculty opposing funding for education have not helped the cause. A summary handout was presented to the legislators and is included with these minutes. Senator Ray Albright and the remainder of the delegation expressed little optimism about the budget prospects for the remainder of this year and for next year.
Higher education is likely to be particularly hard hit.
An emergency sales tax increase or a surtax is under consideration. THEC and the Board of Regents may remove spouse and dependent tuition reductions as well as eliminating free attendance of Senior Citizens on a space available basis. In subsequent discussions, Chancellor Obear noted that spouse and dependent tuition relief is fully funded within the UT System and doesn't involve the state. Professor Herron observed that closing down the senior citizens program is a mean approach to sharing resources in areas that are not overloaded by the definition of the program. Professor Swansbrough asked if the legislators had suggested any strategy.