What Constitution? A Constitution is defined as "a body of fundamental principles or established precedents
according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be
governed." In Connecticut we in theory have a Constitution. This acknowledgement to be governed has just been changed by the Connecticut State Attorney General George Jepsen (who was a former Connecticut State Party Chairman) in his ruling against an amendment in Connecticut's Constitution that requires a legal spending cap each fiscal year. The amendment was voted into law back in 1992. I was one of the 80% of state voters who voted for it. Last week Jepsen declared after 23 years of the spending cap that the legislature can vote to exceed the spending cap “by a simple majority vote". Thus here in Connecticut voters have really no say even in a binding Constitutional Amendment. Oh well.
The theory of the spending cap was to cap state spending increases to 3% per year after implementation if I am to understand it correctly. State spending has increased on average of 6 to 8% or more per year since the cap. Depending on how one interprets state budget numbers the state budget has gone up from $8 billion dollars a year since the implementation of the state income tax to over $20 billion dollars a year or a 250% increase in state spending. If one were to understand the spending cap at 3% a year increase, the state budget should only have gone up 69% not 250%. We also as taxpayers do not know how much has been taken off budget and not included and where/how that is being paid for. It is a big Connecticut Democrat Party secret since they have controlled the state legislature since this Constitutional amendment as to where this spending is.
The spending cap has been in my opinion avoided at all costs leading up to Connecticut's monumental budget crisis of 2015 and beyond. The Connecticut Democrat Party led by Governor Malloy has lied to voters year in and year out. Connecticut is broke. We have if I have estimated correctly at least $60 to $80 billion dollars of long term unfunded liabilities. We have a pension system out-of-control (Judges getting full pensions after three years of work). Connecticut's budget is rotted to the core. Connecticut's debt is also rotted to the core. And Connecticut's Constitution can be ignore at the whim of the Connecticut Democrat Party.
Connecticut is broke. The Connecticut Democrat Party has led us to financial ruin with massive spending and massive tax increases year in and year out.
And we still do not have a solution. Year in and year out. The same lies echoed since 1992.
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