Governor Malloy vetoed on September 28 what he called a "gimmick-laden" budget that passed the House and Senate on September 15/16. The Governor long on rhetoric and short on economic literacy continued his rants and raves about how bad the budget was since it made cuts to higher education especially the University of Connecticut. Malloy then took to the road with UConn's President Susan Herbst who in fiscal year 2015-2016 earned a mere $911,037.50 in salary along with $75,062.21 in fringe benefits (http://transparency.ct.gov/html/searchpayroll.asp) to state the devastation that will take place to the University if those budget cuts were made. The Board of Regents for Higher Education President Mark Ojakian who earns in excess of $332,000 a year in salaries and benefits took equally to the streets to stir up a posse of complaints about the new budget and its cuts to his department. Cries of "Tax the Rich" were heard by several special interest groups even though many of the wealthiest Connecticut Taxpayers are moving out of the state each year thus furthering the collapsing tax revenues the state receives each year.
Obviously here in Connecticut cutting spending is wrong especially when its comes to higher education. If one examines closely the higher education budget especially for administrative non teaching positions salaries, benefits and pensions there seems to be a massive amount of money being spent in these areas. The only solutions in response to these budget cuts being put forth by its leaders is to raise tuition for students. There is never any mention of cuts to either President Herbst's or President Ojakian's salaries, benefits or pensions. Nor there is ever any mention of any economic solutions by what is supposed to be some of the smartest and brightest individuals in our society who run Connecticut higher education on how to do more with less money. Connecticut Taxpayers must finds ways to do more with less on a daily basis.
Thus we still have no budget nor do I believe we will have a budget in the near future.
Governor Malloy and the Connecticut Democrat Party wishes to inflict as much pain and suffering it can on Connecticut Taxpayers in order to protect and nurture a ruling political class that has decreed upon itself one of the highest levels of salaries, benefits and pensions in the country at the expense of the state's economic well being.
Connecticut continues to be an economic nightmare with this budget mess. Connecticut continues to have failed leadership in its government. Connecticut's short and long term debt continues to be massive.
It is time to take back Connecticut.
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