Governor Patrick intends to create three tiers of state employees and charge us different premium levels based on income:

• Employees earning less than $35,000 would continue to pay 15 percent.

• Employees earning from $35,000 to $50,000 would pay 20 percent.

• Employees earning over $50,000 would pay 25 percent.

Most MSP members fall into the last category which means, if you have a family plan, you could see your health insurance premiums increase by over $1400 a year. We must stop this.

The MSP and the MTA are urging members to contact their state representatives and senators immediately urging them NOT to support raising health insurance premiums for state employees in their budget proposal. Tell them that public higher education is the key to building the state's knowledge-based economy, and that it is crucial for Massachusetts to attract and retain high-quality faculty and staff.

Raising insurance premiums from 15 percent to 20 percent or 25 percent will mean cost increases of more than one-third for many employees. This level of increase unfairly burdens state employees when, instead, all taxpayers should pay their fair share to balance the state budget.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE REP. AND SENATOR NOW!