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.
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.
Bill M., Brooklyn
All Dems campaign in the middle and then govern to the way left. No integrity. Cut Government spending, which we know the Molly won’t do, and cut taxes, which we know Molloy will do.
I can decide where and how to spend my money, not Gov. Molloy or Obama!
Jesse Pellegatto, Owner, TurboKits
My reaction to Gov. Malloy’s budget address is – Horrible! Moving my business and the people I employ out of this state is a very probable direction for my future. My lease is up on my current building in 2013 and I should have everything out of the state by the end of 2012.
Kenneth Soeder, President, Jamestown Technologies
When I moved to CT in 1988, there were about 3 million people living in the state, and the budget was about $5.0 billion/year. Now, 23 years later, there are still about 3 million people living in the state, but the budget is about 20.0 billion per year. This figure far exceeds anything that would have been expected from inflation, and just shows that spending on the state level has been out of control for a long time now. This is strictly a spending problem, and must be addressed as such moving forward if we are all to prosper together.
Eric Anderson, President, Quassy Amusement Park
Governor Malloy’s budget address is a start, but I think they still need to cut more spending. It baffles me at the State and Federal level that spending cannot be reduced. I appreciate the Governor’s attempt to spread the pain, as he calls it, but too much burden is on the businesses.
