Personal Opinion:
Today 12:15:57 pm
dhpeacher
Senior member
OnlineRegistered: 03-28-2009
Posts: 169
Topic: Universities

The Huntsville Times, today, had an article on the growth of the University of Alabama.  "Since fall 2002, enrollment has increased 47 percent, accoording to university data.  Not since returning soldiers from World War II flooded the nation's universities has Alabama experienced such growth in such a short time span. the university reported.  Since January 2003, the university has opened 40 new buildings, including 10 residence halls and 2 dining halls." 

With this kind of growth, how in the world are we going to get them to freeze PACT tuition, much less lower it?  My opinion is that the only sway we have is negative public opinion focused on the university systems in Alabama.  Their tuition growth is the huge factor we are facing.  Personally, (I know I get kind of wild sometimes:) ) I think we should march - a REAL march on each of the two major campuses. Bring the kids.  Do it on a weekend when people are mostly off work.  Alert the media.  Am I alone in this kind of thinking?

Last edited by dhpeacher (09-12-2009 2:31:07 pm)

Folks Ted and I are taking a quick, much needed, one week vacation.  We'll be at the Montgomery meeting.  Please join us.  We must not stop until this battle is won.  Any information or questions can be sent to Chuck Gibb, Chairman of Madison County group, at cngdsg@comcast.net

Last edited by dhpeacher (11-21-2009 6:09:20 pm)

The following is an interesting email from one of Madison County members.  it reflects what so many of us are thinking about these days.  If any of the rest of our membership wants an email posted, just send it to me at dhpeacher@gmail.com:

"We have three PACT contracts.  One has been exhausted, one is in use and there is one yet to begin in 2013. We'd sure like to know the plan is going to be around for all PACT owners to be able to make use of this great program.

We appreciated the effort that went into the meeting last week. Too bad some of the more seasoned officials chose to direct their comments to re-election rather than current solutions.  Frankly, I expected nothing less from those who were really uncomfortable being there. 

I forget who said it but I recall one official boldly stating that they were 'right behind us' in our fight to preserve the program.  I'd feel better if they would commit to 'going before us, on our behalf' to help find a solution that does not raise taxes, diminish the value of the plan or otherwise affect people who will claim to have no interest in the future of PACT.

I bet there is money ten-fold to preserve this if our government would spend OUR tax dollars as if it really was their earned income.

Thanks again for your efforts. We're still debating our plans on what to do with contract #3.

Sincerely,

Rick ******"

Last edited by dhpeacher (12-02-2009 2:36:22 pm)

A Madison County member recently wrote me the following:

"I was at the last meeting in Huntsville and I got the sense that no one wants to accept reponsibilty for the mess that the fund is in. I would not mind going to Momtgomery but if it is just to talk with a group of politicians who may or may not care about this cause then I feel that my time could be spent better at my job. If you can please give me a call at ******."

I responded with the following:

Thank you for your message.  I must say I understand your feeling as to this whole situation.  I have a similar personal opinion.  This trip will make my 6th to Montgomery.  Our leaders have been many more times.  It's like beating one's head against a stone wall at times.  I feel we have a hard row to hoe, however, I also feel determined not to give up. The State of Alabama needs to honor their contracts.   In my personal opinion, I feel we need to get tough with the politicians.  It is an election year and the time is near to begin to be blunt in expressing our views about the upcoming election.  I, again personally, feel that our only real clout is the election.  They need to know we mean business.  If I have to be blunt in Montgomery, I will.  Unfortunately, we have to talk to the politicians.  They have to know we are a threat to their re-election.  We need to present ourselves as a big crowd of upset people.  We need all the press we can get.  And, though it is time consuming and hard, we need to write, write, write to them.

Only you can determine if your time is better spent at your job.  Bear in mind, your child's future college education funding may be at stake. 

I didn't enjoy working on PACT activities all day until well after midnight on New Year's Eve and again all day today and this evening.  However, we have 5 PACTS for our grandchildren.  The first starts college in fall of 2010, the others later.  We have a lot of money tied up in our plans and we want to get what we paid for.  We plan to do whatever it takes to accomplish this, even if it means arm-twisting, sweet-talking, or raising hell in general.  Kay Ivey must not be allowed to get away with her sneaky, underhanded, immoral, and possibly illegal  activities. 

If you can come up with another plan, we are willing to listen and pass it along to our members and leaders.  We have begged for input, but haven't received much.
I'm afraid our biggest problem, is lack of interest by the PACT contract owners.  I'm not sure how in the world to light a fire under them.  We have a little less than 300 members in Madison county and there are 4000 PACT owners in this county alone.  It's as if they don't really care.

Having said all this, we certainly hope you can join us in Montgomery.  Progress is made in small increments.

Donna Peacher

To All Madison County Save Alabama PACT members:

Those who have not responded, please let us know yes or no by Thursday AM as to whether or not you plan to go to Montgomery.. Some people may be caravanning.   There will be no "march" as we don't have permits.  We are to meet on the State House steps  9:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  A photo-op is planned.  We will enter the state house as a group at 10:00 AM.    Later we will have a very important statewide Save Alabama Pact meeting at the Dexter Avenue Methodist  Church (2 blocks from capitol).  We will have "legal people" there for questions and guidance in dealing with the "surprise" December 29 called PACT Board of Directors Meeting.

The official legislative session begins at 12:00 Noon.  While in the state house, we are encouraged to wander the state house halls and simply enter the various rooms containing our representatives, many of whom share offices.   We are to go in, introduce ourselves, and have a conversation about our need for legislative action to fund PACT fully.  I am told they welcome this sort of interaction and, of course, your phone calls. 

If you cannot go to Montgomery this time, please, please call or write letters to your representatives.  In case you don't still have it, the enclosed information contains names, addresses,and   phone numbers, that were handed out at our November 23  Madison County PACT meeting.  Form letters are not welcome.  You don't have to write but one or two lines to make a plea for PACT.  Handwritten letters get the most attention, but emails are good too.  It won't take you 10 minutes to sit down and write a line or two.  Is your child's future educational funding worth that?    And, as Patti Lambert, our president,  says, "whoever fixes the PACT funding problem has my vote". 

I attended the first Jackson /DeKalb County meeting of Save Alabama Pact last night and was happy to see so many come out in such frigid weather.   I was reminded at that meeting that the statewide Save Alabama Pact grassroots movement started with us conducting the first meeting in Alabama here in Madison County last July.  We've come a long way since that meeting and, of course, have a long way to go in reaching other contract owners.  Everywhere we go we are told that our power is in our numbers.  WE NEED TO REACH OUT AND FIND MORE MEMBERS!   

We are working on finding a place/date/time for our next Madison County meeting of Save Alabama PACT and will update you as soon as we have it pinned down.

Remember, it for the children.

We've made up a "bunch" of green cards (a little lighter shade of green) for our Madison County Meeting on Feb 7, Huntsville Public Library, 2 PM.  These cards turned out very nicely and we placed the colored logo on the front upper middle.  Our only other change was on the back side, where we place our sort-of motto on the lower bottom center portion:  "It's for the children".   We're very pleased at how they turned out and will dispense them at the meeting.

Last edited by dhpeacher (02-02-2010 3:14:13 pm)

We've sent messages to all our membership (WHERE ARE THE OTHER 3,500 PACT OWNERS IN MADISON COUNTY?) as to the urgency of contacting as many senators as possible at once to try to save our PACTS.  We are down to the wire on this situation.  If you haven't done anything to help, it is very soon going to be too late.  If I can send out 4 mass emails and write messages to 15 senators (so far) in 2 days,  why can't you?  Do you want the entire program drawn to a halt  by lawsuits?  Do you want to pull your money out (at old rates) and suffer the lack of PACT tuition?  WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Last edited by dhpeacher (02-28-2010 5:01:21 pm)

Tmom, I just sent in the following letter to the editor of the Huntsville Times.  I believe it may help you.  The full senate can't debate or vote on the bills that will help us until the Head of The Rules Committee (Lowell Barron) releases it from his committee. (see below)

We would appreciate whatever you can do to expedite the publishing of the  letter to the editor below:

It was a year on February 27, since all we PACT people received the infamous poison Ivey letter which placed all our contracts in doubt. 

Well, the 2010 crucial legislative session is now happening as we speak.  Folks, WE ARE IN  TROUBLE!  One senator, Chairman of the Rules Committee, appears to be blocking the bills,    HB 228, 123 and 124,  from leaving his committee for a vote by the full senate.  These bills would save PACT,  and eliminate the need to require a tax on the people of Alabama.   He represents a piece of Madison County where the state grass roots effort began.  Unfortunately, the bills pit higher ed against lower ed and leaves us stranded in the middle.  How ironic that the “eds” are blocking bills that would educate more than 45,000 young people in Alabama.   We marvel at the power  “eds” have.   Shame on you!

We believe this session is truly a moral and legal test.  We understand that each senator has a lot at stake.  We desperately hope that character and moral fiber will win out over personal ambition.  Will they do the honest and right thing or will they yield to the power of the “eds”?  It’s test time.  We will be watching closely and will vote accordingly.  In fact, on a personal note, I will actively campaign against Senator Lowell Barron’s re-election.

I urge all Madison County PACT owners to join our grass roots organization.   Sign up either at www.savealabamapact.com or by calling me at 256-852-7817 or by emailing me at dhpeacher@gmail.com.  We need your help.

Donna H. Peacher

Last edited by dhpeacher (03-10-2010 2:45:34 pm)