Saturday, August 24, 2019

Connecticut's Constant Corruption

Connecticut's experiment with socialism has failed miserably.  Corruption rules Connecticut.
Our state government and in particular the Connecticut Democrat Party enjoy taking our personal freedoms away along with nurturing their political nepotism, unyielding rule and abuse of power and laws. 
Connecticut continues to be last or near last in many economic and business categories.  This weeks failed socialist news items included Connecticut having the highest administrative costs of our road system in the country at a mere $32,508 per mile.  Our highway system is the 44th worse in the country while spending $200,000 per mile it controls according to a new report issued by the Reason Foundation.  It is always amusing when a report like this comes out our media does not report it nor is there any comment by the Connecticut Democrat Party on it.  It is business as usual for Connecticut's socialism.  The Connecticut Democrat Party want tolls now to apparently spend even more money to take care of the political operatives it has and continuing to provide horrific roads and bridges for Connecticut drivers.  Why are our road costs so high?  Where is the money going?  Why isn't there a forensic audit to find out?  
We also are viewing a massive scandal and misuse of Connecticut Taxpayers monies at the Connecticut Port Authority. Former Board Chairman Deputy Secretary of the State Scott Bates apparently used it as his own bank account hiring a friend for a no show $6500 a month job, hiring other friends and buying a board members daughter artwork for its offices.  Connecticut Taxpayers question must be is why is Bates still the Deputy Secretary of the State in Connecticut?  How is he not abusing that office?  Why should there be any trust now in the Secretary of State's office with a person like this being the Deputy Secretary of the State with no reprimand whatsoever?  It is again amusing when a report like this comes out our media does not report it nor is there any comment by the Connecticut Democrat Party on it.  It is business as usual for Connecticut's socialism. 
Ned Lamont claims transparency in his Administration.  Where is the transparency in these two issues?  Where is the justice?  Why is Connecticut Taxpayers monies wasted in this manner?
Connecticut has $100 billion dollars in short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities.  It has some of the highest taxes in the country.  And we continue to see issues of corruption literally on a daily basis.
The money that has been wasted on these two issues could go to lowering taxes on Connecticut businesses and residents.  Instead we are force fed the same stale rhetoric.  The lies of the Connecticut Democrat Party are tiring.  We should not be a state with two sets of laws, one for the ruling political elite and one for the Connecticut Taxpayer who must foot this bill for constant corruption.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

The Corruption of DECD

Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) needs to go.  In the realm of trying to create new businesses and attract new businesses it has done little to help Connecticut's chronic recession and debacle of an economy.  It has wasted a great deal of Connecticut's Taxpayers money over the years. 
Some of the new scandals and wastes of money include a Suffield firm that received $3.5 million dollars in loans and still went bankrupt and the new allegations this week that were reported by the Yankee Institute's Marc Fitch (https://yankeeinstitute.org/2019/08/13/the-fitch-files-whistleblower-complaint-alleges-decd-gave-second-loans-modifications-to-delinquent-borrowers/) about a DECD employees complaint about companies that were delinquent with loans kept getting new loans.  For example Connecticut Casket Company received over $850,000 in three loans even though they were delinquent on the first and second loans.  They also received an initial $100,000 grant in 2012.
Other examples are found in Fitch's article highlight the other illegal loans that were made since the businesses were delinquent in their initial loans and or did not meet the job creation requirements that the grant or loan stated.  Also a 2017 State audit found issues with excessively high fees paid to third-party lenders for loans. 
To me what is going on at the DECD is fraud.  You can't make these types of loans in our banking system.  I have tried to read and reread the DECD Annual Report and in some areas it defies economic logic as to what Connecticut is spending on supposed new job creation.  If Connecticut was not so anti business and a high tax state it would not have to bribe companies to stay and or relocate to Connecticut.  And what business in their right mind would want to relocate to Connecticut with all of its economic problems and high taxes it has?  The DECD has done little to improve the state's economy and the results are found in Connecticut's chronic last and or bottom ranking in most economic and business categories.
The Connecticut Democrat Party's constant pay-to-play rules of doing business in the state including a total lack of oversight at the DECD have been a constant factor in the ruining of our economy.  While the nation prospers Connecticut continues its constant march into economic oblivion. 
Supposedly business savvy Governor Ned Lamont should actually show some leadership by dismantling the DECD and lowering taxes to achieve economic stimulation and growth in Connecticut.  The DECD does not make economic sense for the state as it just wastes Connecticut Taxpayer's monies on a daily basis.  And maybe someone in our state legislature would be dynamic enough to order a full forensic audit of this agency and clean it up to close it down.  The money spent on this agency could go to lowering taxes on Connecticut businesses and the laws of supply and demand could actually be seen once again in Connecticut.


Friday, August 09, 2019

Economic Freedom In Connecticut?

What happened to economic freedom in Connecticut?  In the past 28 years since the passage of a Utopian state income tax Connecticut has become an economic nightmare with high taxes, massive short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities, a net migration of citizens moving out of state and a corrupted state government.  The income tax has created a massive increase in state spending from roughly $7.7 billion dollars in 1991 to over $22 billion dollars in 2019.  And what has this increase in spending gotten for legal state residents?  Higher and more complex taxes with unlimited spending allowed for state management and union employees in wages, benefits and pensions?  The Connecticut State Income Tax since enacted has transferred in excess of $165 billion dollars from Connecticut Taxpayers to our state government and at the same time Connecticut's short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities is now at $100 billion dollars and rising.  Thus one could ask where did all the money go since 1991?  And more importantly how much economic freedom has been stripped from the state in this same time frame?
This past horrific legislative session brought about some of the most startling changes in our economic freedom for legal state residents and businesses.  From an out of economic equilibrium higher minimum wage that will eliminate jobs and raises prices on everything, a pyroll tax for family leave, the elimination and taxing of plastic grocery bags along with higher and new taxes on many items and services coupled with a strong desire for tolls continues the slow march to economic Armageddon that the Connecticut Democrat Party wants to inflict on the state.  All in the name of a progressive and socialist state government that ultimately wants to dictate to us what we can and can't have, what we can and can not do under the guise of false laws that these same Democrats exempt themselves from.
Thus what happened to economic freedom in Connecticut?
Where did all of Connecticut Taxpayers Monies go?
What has it been spent on?
Why do we have short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities of $100 billion dollars?
Economic freedom is an important concept to freedom in general.  In Connecticut it is apparent the Connecticut Democrat Party does not want you to have economic freedom.  Or freedom in general.  Sad but true.
It is time for economic freedom again in Connecticut.