NEA Special Assessment

On July 5, 2000, the NEA Representative Assembly passed bylaw amendment 2-7n titled "Special dues increase to assist affiliates with ballot measures/legislative crises and to fund national and state media campaigns." The dues increase (a.k.a. "special assessment") became effective on September 1, 2000. Every NEA member contributes a $5 assessment to the Ballot Initiative/Legislative Crises Fund and Media Campaign Fund. The NEA uses the Fund as follows: sixty (60) percent of the monies to support or oppose state ballot measures and the remaining forty (40) percent for state-based media campaigns.

In 2004, the NEA Representative Assembly approved a bylaw amendment that extended the dues assessment for NEA's Ballot/Media Fund until the 2009-10 school year. Additionally, the assessment will increase by one dollar (to $6) in the 2005-06 school year, and will increase one dollar each year thereafter until the assessment reaches $10 in 2009-10.

The Ballot Measure/Legislative Crises Fund has funded 119 grants to 39 state affiliates from September 2000 to May 2004, for a total of over $26,461,000.

NEA Ballot Measure/Legislative Crisis Fund

Summary of Litigation

In January 2002, EFF filed a complaint against the NEA, alleging (among other violations) that the $5 assessment violated state campaign finance law. In April, EFF filed a citizen action lawsuit against the NEA. The NEA was late in its reply and a default judgment of $800,000 was issued against the NEA. The NEA then responded and sought vacation of the judgment, which was granted. In August the lawsuit was dismissed. This dismissal was overturned on appeal in December 2003. The attorney general also filed suit against the NEA in October 2002. Both cases are on hold pending a Supreme Court decision on a related question.

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org

Quotables:

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical." - Thomas Jefferson

"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind." - John Stuart Mill