The so called state employee “concessions” are a joke the numbers just don’t add up. Cut Spending reduce the size of the state goverment. IF there is 10% unemployment in the private sector there needs to be the same in goverment.
David, Middletown
Cut spending. Enough of balancing the budget on the backs of the State employees. The signed budget has a 2% INCREASE in spending. How is that right? Get all the info before you lemmings follow the Governor “Don’t call me Dan” over the cliff.
Jasper J., East Hartford
Connecticut residents have sacrificed enough!!! We have been one of the highest taxed states in the nation as long as I can remember. Privatize most state services and dismantle state employee unions.
Jay K., West Hartford
Instead of spending tax dollars on what we value in our state, we’re financing the unsustainable pensions and health care benefits of state union employees. Raising taxes in a bad economy is a Job killing Idea. Disassemble the state employees unions.
K.S., North Haven
More than 50% of this new budget deal rests squarely on $2 BILLION in concessions from unions WHICH HAVE NOT YET BEEN NEGOTIATED? And the General Assembly should pass it? Now that’s responsible governing — NOT!!
Tony, Norwalk
I have yet to see how raising any tax on individuals and businesses yields jobs and improves the standard of living. CT does not have a revenue problem it has a spending problem and anything less than meaningful measurable cuts is just playing lip service to a problem that has never been properly addressesed by CT Legislators. It’s businesses that generate jobs, NOT GOVERNMENT, so CT should encourage investment by the private sector but instead they discourage them through taxation and, even worst, drives them right out of the state. For example, take the Yacht industry, which Malloy blindly characterizes as a luxury item that the wealthy can afford. Who does he think works on building these luxury boats, the wealthy owners? Of course not, it’s the working class, who will now be laid off because of a bad policy that will be enacted- good going Malloy!
Kathy S., Bridgeport
Cut spending and support business so we can grow the economy. That means DON’T pass sick leave legislation which will discourage companies from coming here, DON’T pass the “throwback tax” which will chase companies with locations outside of CT out of the state and warn new companies away, DON’T pass the employee gag rule bill – another union sponsored bill that will send a message to business that CT is not where you want to be, DON’T pass anything consolidating the Vo-Tech schools under local school boards – it would kill them dead!
DO SOMETHING TO REDUCE ENERGY COSTS for business.
CT has 47,000 employees – the Gov’s budget proposes to lay off 175 of them. Seriously???
Joseph C., Middletown
It seems to me that there is no way of addressing the finacial issues we as a state face without being committed to both actions. However, given the high taxes CT already imposes, it seems that by cutting dramatically, we may yet succeed. Whatever the direction, I don’t imagine that the remedy is overnight. If ever we see demonstrable improvement it will be a while.
Kimberly S., Middletown
What’s that old adage? The “left hand needs to know what the right hand is (already) doing” — or what it has already tried to do, and failed. Prioritize, streamline, cut waste: in other words, make some tough decisions and TAKE ACTION — like we all have had to do at work and at home. CT needs to look at the GAO report GAO-11-318SP published on 3/1/11, “Opportunities to Reduce Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue.” While no one is saying this is easy, it also is NOT rocket science.
Frank C., Newington
The reality is that every single taxpayer in the state of CT has to be willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Changing the way the state does business is the only way we can get out of this mess and begin to rebuild a future for our children. Also, In order to spur economic growth there needs to be more incentive for small business. Big business also needs incentive to stay in the state of CT.
