Malloy Needs To Change Course

To the Editor:

Prior to Governor Malloy’s grand announcement of a budget deal, I wrote in a letter to The Bee on April 28 that he had seemingly gotten nowhere on his $2 billion package of concessions by the state public sector unions. Soon after, that $2 billion concession package demand was quickly reduced to $1.6 billion and still needed to be ratified by the rank and file union members. It’s too bad that we rank and file taxpayers didn’t get to have a final vote on the plethora of tax increases that the governor and his “amen corner” of like-minded tax-and-spend party members foisted upon us. Sadly, our local state representative was among those that voted for this antigrowth monstrosity of a budget. Now, with the entirely predictable rejection of concessions by the unions, we realize that the state budget was essentially a sham, except of course for the very real tax increases that will cost the median Newtown household well over $1,000 per year retroactive to January 1. Many will pay thousands more and businesses will suffer. Even if the unions back down and approve the $1.6 billion package, the private sector and taxpayers will still be stuck with the difference between the original $2 billion needed and whatever the union finally agrees to ratify.

The governor recently announced that he intends to prepare layoff notices to 7,500 state employees. How will that close a two year gap of $1.6 billion when the average state employee’s compensation is around $80,000? Layoffs would have to be over 10,000, but since only 7,500 notices are being sent, the savings will fall at least $200 million short of the $1.6 billion needed. That difference will come either from the surplus fund he intentionally created by overtaxing the citizens of Connecticut in the first place, or in reduced aid to the towns and localities which is the functional equivalent of yet another tax increase to Newtown families. To be sure, the unions may wise up and pass the concession package on a revote, but in two years (earlier if the economy doesn’t rebound) we will be faced with an even bigger dilemma, thanks to the direction taken by Gov Malloy.

Gov Malloy, while quick to disparage Governors Christie of New Jersey and Walker of Wisconsin for the management of their state budgets, is proving to be far less adept than they at governing but excellent at blaming his predecessor, the likeable, but fairly ineffective Jodi Rell for the state’s fiscal situation. However, Gov Rell had to deal with an intractable veto-proof majority, while this governor, who was elected with the slimmest of margins, thinks he has a mandate to tax everyone and everything. Unfortunately, he has chosen to abdicate on any long-term structural changes necessary to permanently alter the direction of state spending and create a business friendly, lower taxed environment instead of a place where residents and businesses flee in favor of states where taxing first is not the priority. He needs to change course.

Joe Kearney

9 Daniels Hill Road, Newtown                                       June 28, 2011