The Connecticut Democrat Party New Tax And Spend Budget-Just More Of The Same

 It seems like it is always more of the same with the Connecticut Democrat Party when it comes to the new state budget.  Every two years Connecticut always seems to have some economic/employment crisis that impacts its budget.  It has been the same since the infamous Lowell Weicker/Democrat Party state income tax was passed back in 1991.  If the state income tax was not passed then Connecticut apparently would have sunk into the Atlantic Ocean or better yet would have had to cut state spending.  As a tradition each year state spending and state taxes go up.  To the point today that a state as small as Connecticut and with a declining state population now is spending over $24.2 billion dollars in its next budget.  That seems like a great deal of money for a state that continues to rank last or near last in all economic categories, highest taxes in the country, still has not recovered from the 2008-09 recession and has a mere $150 billion dollars in short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities.  And realistically this new budget looks a great deal the same as previous Connecticut Democrat Party budgets, more cash for state employees, more cash for those who are politically connected to the Connecticut Democrat Party, more corporate welfare payments to those who are politically connected to the Connecticut Democrat Party, higher taxes especially for the trucking industry in this budget, more money for education, more money for social welfare programs and free health care for illegal immigrants in the state.

In this new budget I especially enjoy reading the $2,000,000 being given for direct flights to Jamaica at Bradley Airport.  I did not realize that there was such a demand by state taxpayers to fly to Jamaica nor did I realize that they are responsible for both subsidizing the flights and paying for their air flight tickets to this country.  For the apparently overworked judiciary employees/judges a mere 5% per year raise after the massive increases they just got in 2021.  For example a Superior Court Judge pay was increased from $180,460 to $189,483.  Nor overlooked is the area of non union pay increases in most departments and lump sum payments accounting for a 2.5% pay increase for each of the next three fiscal years, 7.5% in total and $3500 in lump sum payments combined for the next two fiscal years.  Thus it seems apparent that non union state employees are getting the same pay increases just like the massive union pay package that was negotiated behind closed doors this year. The Urban Act got an addition $120 million dollars of which $20 million dollars is authorized for apparently low income housing.  These are just a few areas I looked at in the 243 page Act to adjust the state budget never mind the state budget itself.

It is sad that the 243 page Act to adjust the state budget that was passed isn't the leading news story on Connecticut's state run and subsidized media.  The outcry from it I believe would be enormous as to where Connecticut Taxpayers monies are spent and on what.  It a free for all of giveaways for anything and everything in the state.  And sadly with another $24.2 billion dollars being spent it will do little to improve a state that continues to rank last or near last in all economic categories, still has not recovered from the 2008-09 recession and has a mere $150 billion dollars in short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities along with yet even higher taxes coming.   Good money keeps being spent after bad money.  More money to fund pet local projects.  More money for state employees salaries, benefits and pensions.  More money lost in corporate welfare schemes to keep a few jobs temporarily in Connecticut before the business moves to a lower taxed state.  More money spent on bonds and now much higher interest rates on borrowed money.  More garbage being force fed to Connecticut Taxpayers.  This budget proves to me there is little change in Connecticut and spending continues to increase, taxes keep going up and nothing changes.  And the next budget will easily surpass $25 billion dollars and more.  And the one after that ditto, etc.  Nothing changes.  And throw in pay raises for State Legislators and we add insult to injury.

Thus the Connecticut Taxpayer has yet another conundrum to solve in the upcoming election.  They are being told by Ned Lamont and his Connecticut Democrat Party how great the state has become over the past two and four years under their leadership.  The reality they see is the same stale rhetoric being spoken not does not work.  They see a state where their family and friends are moving out daily.  They see a state where they are no longer safe with crime and car thefts spiraling out of control.  They see a state where drug abuse, drug overdoses and suicides are accepted with little if anything being done about it.  They see a state where abortions must be legally guaranteed and children's sexes (for those who are not proudly aborted) must be changed beginning at a young age and paid for by insurance companies.  They see a state where the elderly and disabled lives were deemed worthless during the manufactured and profitable Covid-19 crisis by the irrational policies that were implemented, deemed as law under the Governor's Executive Orders, those same people had to suffer a painful death trapped in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers from the virus.  They see a state where lies are cited as truth and the truth destroyed as a lie.  Connecticut Taxpayers seem to have had enough of this abuse and misuse of their monies supporting a corrupted state government.  It is 1776 all over again.