On Wednesday, November 13, I had the privilege of attending for the first time the fall meeting of the Long Island President’s Council (LIPC). This support system of fellow union presidents is a fabulous resource for me as a new president. LIPC hosts a blog where collaboration among presidents occurs on a daily basis but there is no substitute for face to face contact. Attendees had the privilege of hearing from Assemblyman Michael Benedetto and State Senator Shelley Mayer, chairpeople of the Education Committees in their respective chambers. Several issues were discussed, including the search for a new Commissioner of Education. Members of LIPC pressed the legislators on the need to reform the tax cap. Specifically, districts should be able to exclude from the cap expenditures that result from unfunded state mandates.