Voices Question

It is essential that public employees contact their elected representatives to tell them that the public services are very necessary to their state's economy. Providing a list of public services provided may help public employees write to their legislators about more than things that readily come to mind. In NYS the Department of Agriculture and Markets inspects food in supermarkets. A safe food supply is essential to to the citizens of NYS and it also benefits all of the businesses because workers sick from bad food lose time from work. The state road system is also relied upon by businesses and citizens for work, shopping & daily living.

Yes. I always encourage people to meet with their elected officials on issues that are of concern to them. Their goal is to meet the needs of their constituents.

Public employess have a responsibility to contact elected officials regarding funding for public policies. In fact, it should be our duty. I wish that our union was more active in rallying members to influence and shape public policy--and the funding of necessary services.

Of course. When in the hiring process did public employees give up their rights as citizens?

Yes. We need to tell our side as others do.

We need to contact our officals because we need the funding.

I strongly believe that it is very important for public employees to contact their elected officials. If we do not let them know how hard it is to provide good services with limited budgets, they will not do anything to protect our funding. Officials elected forget about people's needs, and they need to be aware that voters are paying attention to what they are doing.

Yes, I think we should as it helps protect our jobs and benefits--and motivates public officials to support us.

As public servants we have a duty to the taxpayers to provide them with the maximum bang for the buck. If management has no idea how to do this, then we as union members need to contact our elected officials and make our voices heard! Paying mileage for Training and Meetings outside of the local offices is crazy and wasteful in this time of high technology. Mileage and or car rentals is extremely wasteful! It needs to stop. Too many chiefs and not enough indians also makes no sense but is very common throught the state.

Public employees must first vote out the incumbent politicians--then contact the newly elected politicians to voice concerns about current and planned funding. Our reprsentaives must learn to live within reasonable budgets that include reasonable public funding as an integral part.

Yes, it is important for public employees to contact their elected officials. Elected officials might not know the details and if they know the details elected officals will be better equipped to speak to the issues that affect public employees and the vital services provided to taxpayers. I am a registered professional nurse for the state of New York.

As taxpayers, public employees need to keep in touch with their representatives on all such matters.

Yes, I believe it is important for public employees to contact their elected officials about funding policies for public services because we have a vested interest in voicing our opinions about policies/legislation that may directly effect us.

As a retired public servant, I believe that in these troubling times, it is imperitive to keep a communication line open to our elected officials . Why? Because if we do not, we will be the first targets of the cutting process the private sector so enjoys taking shots at to save money. And we know, as public servants, that it is not the employees that cost the taxpayers, it is the waste and use of consultants that is the big dollar drain.

I think it is very important. We need to contact our represtentatives because we are citizens.

Yes, since they worry most about getting re-elected, and when they hear on a certain subject, it becomes apparent that's what the publio wants. Very few of them send out surveys.

I do think it is important for public employees to contact their elected officials about funding for public services and more. We are their constituents and their job is to listen to us and get our votes. Maybe it's just a numbers game, but we should play it.

It is very important that we contact our elected officials and let them know about the services that we provide every day.

Absolutely! Public employees are in the best position to know where and when public services are working efficiently or inefficiently; where public money is being wasted. Besides, public employees also pay taxes and have as much right as anyone else to submit their views to their elected representatives. Only by letting elected officials know that they are being watched by people who will take the elected official's conduct into consideration on election day, can there be any hope for better government.

No brainer.

Yes. I believe that employees who work in the public sector should contact their elected officials to tell them that they should vote for funding for public services. I always thought that is a part of government, to approve funding for services to the public. Too much of the time, these same elected officials are supporting legislation that benefits the rich and does nothing for the middle and lower classes of our population.

Yes. How else are they going to learn the effects on the employees and services? I would hope our elected officials would listen to employees and take into consideration ideas they may have. Sometimes we have good ideas that could help situations.

I think that it is extremely important for public employees to contact elected officials about funding for public services, as well as to enlighten elected officials regarding other important issues related to public services and the operation of public agencies. It is incontrovertible that public employees have firsthand knowledge of both the operation of the public agencies where they work and a bird's-eye view of the impact that funding--either adequate or inadequate--has on the operations of those public agencies, which are ostensibly established to serve the needs of the citizenry.

Yes, we should all be lobbying our legislators as union members, as taxpayers and as voters. Elected officials must be educated and constantly reminded of the importance of a healthy and fairly paid public service work force and how important this work force is to communities they serve.

Yes, it is important for public employees to contact their elected officials about funding for public services. I think it is important that elected officals are aware of how the funding impacts or hinders the services provided by public employees. Who knows better the effect of cutbacks in funding or the elimination of funding on public services than the person preforming the service.