Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain! The Eight-Year Fantasy Reign of Governor Ned Lamont

 The eight years of the fantasy reign of King Ned Lamont the Unaccountable as Governor of the State of Connecticut can best be summed up by this dialogue from the 1939 classic film “The Wizard Of Oz”

The Wizard (booming voice, as the giant head):

“Do not arouse the wrath of the great and powerful Oz! I said come back tomorrow!”

 

Dorothy:

“If you were really great and powerful, you’d keep your promises!”

The Wizard (still booming):

“Do you presume to criticize the great Oz? You ungrateful creatures! Think yourselves lucky that I’m giving you audience tomorrow instead of 20 years from now!”

(Toto pulls back the green curtain, revealing the ordinary man working the levers and speaking into a microphone.)

The Wizard (startled, still trying to maintain the booming voice):

“Oh! … The great Oz has spoken!”

(He tries to close the curtain.)

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! The great Oz has spoken!”

(Dorothy pulls the curtain fully open.)

Dorothy:

“Who are you?”

The Wizard (first booming, then dropping to his normal voice):

“I am the great and powerful… Wizard of Oz.”

Dorothy:

“You are? I don’t believe you!”

The Wizard:

“I’m afraid it’s true. There’s no other Wizard except me.”

Scarecrow:

“You humbug!”

Cowardly Lion:

“Yeah!”

The Wizard:
“Yes, that’s exactly so. I’m a humbug.”

Dorothy:

“Oh, you’re a very bad man!”

The Wizard:

“Oh, no, my dear. I’m a very good man. I’m just a very bad wizard.”

 

 This 90-year old classic snippet of dialogue from "The Wizard Of Oz" describes the reign of King Governor Ned Lamont The Unaccountable perfectly, but for one item: While “Most Popular” Governor Ned Lamont may get an A+ in the categories of wonder and achievement courtesy of his state-run hack media stable, he differs from The Wizard in that in actuality, he is both a bad man and a bad governor.

Pick any sycophantic state-run media outlet or print publication in Connecticut, and you will get the same tale concerning Ned Lamont. There is economic magic in Connecticut! It is due to an amazing run of all sorts of the Democrat Party pulling economic rabbits out of their hats by the one and only, King Ned Lamont, the Unaccountable! In a recent news article that read like a campaign press release written by the Connecticut Democrat Party, somehow there is no longer any unfunded liabilities to the Connecticut State Pension System.  This is due to the magic of King Ned and his over taxation of Connecticut Taxpayers to create fiscal balloon surpluses.

From the article: https://www.courant.com/2026/08/03/a-look-at-cts-recent-fiscal-matters-pensions-debt-revenue-surpluses-taxing-the-wealthy/?lctg=64C6443F951205741532846538&utm_email=64C6443F951205741532846538&active=yesP&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.courant.com%2f2026%2f08%2f03%2fa-look-at-cts-recent-fiscal-matters-pensions-debt-revenue-surpluses-taxing-the-wealthy%2f&utm_campaign=trib-hartford_courant-five_things_you_need_to_know-nl&utm_content=hybrid “Central to Gov. Ned Lamont’s political brand and his run for a rare third term is a fiscal discipline that has contributed to Connecticut’s extraordinary run of budget surpluses. He’s wrapped seven consecutive years in the black, using $11 billion of those unspent funds to wipe out pension debt. No other governor in modern history has made one such payment. And Lamont, a Democrat who has served with strong Democratic legislative majorities, cut state income tax rates in 2023, something done only once before in the 35-year history of the levy, while still building a record-setting budget reserve that tops $4.4 billion.”

This particular version of sycophantic blather was never parroted until the Lamont versus Socialist/Communist Josh Elliott primary. As someone who has studied the and written about the Connecticut State Debt for decades, I am truly amazed by these farcical statements.  When one tries to understand Connecticut State's Debt, one may be overwhelmed by the spider web of deceptions and untruths that have been force fed to Connecticut Taxpayers over the years. For to even get at what the real state debt is truly a challenge.

One thing the sycophants and lackeys will never tell you is that there are many aspects to Connecticut's debt that include long term and short-term bonding of different debts along with billions in unfunded liabilities that state taxpayers are liable for. This chorus of magpies would never tell you that Connecticut has one of the highest ratios of debt functions in the country along with one of the highest local and state tax burdens simultaneously. Few even understand this is happening. Connecticut State workers have one of the highest wage, benefit, and pension structures in the country accounting for over $11 billion dollars this past year out of state budget or roughly $27 billion dollars.  This is roughly 41% of Connecticut's state budget. Other examples include a 17.15% Debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio. This is a ratio calculated by dividing total debt by annual economic output, reflecting Connecticut's ability to pay back what it owes. And business development and economic opportunity? Connecticut has a population of roughly 3.6 million people of which over 380,000 are on Food Stamps which is over 10% of the state's population (https://www.usdebtclock.org/state-debt-clocks/state-of-connecticut-debt-clock.html). Of course if you can make your own way, you do not need government food subsidies. But! (but) isn't the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development leading the charge into the Mojo-driven Lamont universe? Roughly two billion dollars has been siphoned from state coffers into varying socialistic scam spending during the Reign of Lamont. But one wonders for what purpose have these funds been allocated for reasons other than serial waste, fraud, nepotism, cronyism, and abuse? https://wp.cga.ct.gov/apa/wp-content/cgacustom/reports/FullReports/Economic%20and%20Community%20Development,%20Department%20of%20FULL_20260729_FY2023,2024.pdf .

Continuing from the above news article/press release: “I think people are taking a second look at Connecticut” because of this fiscal dedication, Lamont said this week. “They say, ‘They’ve got their act together.’” 

How did Connecticut ever get its act together with crushingly high state debt and 41% of the budget just going to salaries, benefits, and pensions, coupled with Wizard of Oz-like budget surpluses caused by Democrat Party over taxation?

However, no state-produced lie is ever complete without a benchmark reference to the failed leaders of the past. Here, the reference is to good old Former Governor Dan Malloy, who ran on a platform of “no new taxes. When elected that lie was forgotten about. Again, from the “above news article/press release: “(Malloy) took an issue that was [behind] closed doors … and really put it out there for people to understand the level of the problem,” said Joe Aresimowicz, the House speaker during the last two years of Malloy’s tenure and first two of Lamont’s. “It takes a different kind of human being to stand up in front of hundreds of people night after night, knowing that they disagree with you, knowing that they’re angry, knowing that they’re going to yell at you, and you keep doing it anyway,” said Roy Occhiogrosso, a senior adviser and campaign strategist for Malloy. “And it was because he believed deeply that you cannot fix the massive problems that he inherited unless you educate people about them first.” “In Dan Malloy’s defense, he was the first guy to at least make the current [pension] payments,” the governor said, “and I respect him for that.” Malloy’s tax hikes forced high earners to pay more..."Lamont ultimately closed his deficit by raising some business taxes and by canceling some sales tax exemptions and previously approved tax cuts that hadn’t taken effect yet. He was spared from increasing the state income tax, which carried the biggest political risk."

None of these characters of the state’s storied past will ever tell you that Malloy's legacy was one of making Connecticut's State Income Tax one of the most progressive in the country to fuel much higher state spending under the guise of paying down state debt. For such a destructive reign of fiscal irresponsibility. Malloy's payoff was getting a political nonjob in Maine via his financial glad-handing of Maine-based Jackson Labs. And when the state pays the freight, no news article is complete without painting Lamont as a discernable improvement over the failures of the past.

But wait! Here’s More! More confirmation of the Lamont economic brilliance is a recent report from Reason Foundation (https://reason.org/commentary/cts-pre-k-endowment-diverts-pension-dollars/). From this report,  Connecticut’s Early Childhood Education Endowment (ECEE) was created to further the state’s efforts to subsidize early childhood education. The goal is commendable. Childcare is expensive, and surely many families in Connecticut could benefit from additional support.

But the financing structure of this endowment is troubling. It redirects surplus dollars that would otherwise have gone toward paying down Connecticut’s severely underfunded public pension systems, setting up the state for future problems.

Connecticut already funds early childhood education through its operating budget. The state approved $418 million for fiscal year 2026 and $443 million for fiscal year 2027, separate from the endowment. These funds are part of the regular budget process, where spending is debated, appropriated, and subject to the state’s fiscal guardrails.

The endowment is different. Starting in fiscal year 2026, it is set to receive any unappropriated General Fund surpluses once the Budget Reserve Fund is at its statutory cap. Before the endowment was created, those surpluses would have continued to support additional contributions to pay the state’s massive pension system debt that is owed to public workers.

Connecticut’s State Employees Retirement System and State Teachers’ Retirement System have a combined unfunded liability of $31.5 billion. These are not optional obligations. These are pension benefits already earned by public employees that are legally binding claims on future state revenues.

Unfunded pension obligations are among the state’s most expensive fiscal risks. When pension funding falls short, the state forgoes investment earnings that would have accrued on contributed assets, increasing long-term costs, and shifting a larger burden to future taxpayers. For decades, Connecticut did exactly that, using funding practices that lowered near-term budget pressure while pushing debts and costs into the future.

But didn’t the above news article/press release tell us Lamont wiped out debt? If that is the case, how is it possible that a mere $31 billion dollars plus in unfunded pension liabilities exists in one place alone? Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? I highly doubt it is Democrat Governor Ned Lamont through his state-run media.

True money does not lie. Connecticut, depending on your periscope, still has $100,000,000,000 to $150,000,000,000 billion dollars in short- and long-term debt along with unfunded liabilities. It has moved billions over dollars off budget over the years  and hidden that from public view and comment. Connecticut gives away your tax dollars freely and without oversight through nontransparent agencies such as the Department of Economic and Community Development, which really should be eliminated and via myriad non-profits that no one in elected government wants to stop funding. Connecticut remains a fiscal mess with high debt, high taxes, and a poor business climate.

If you do not mind being ripped off daily, by all means keep voting for incompetent Democrats who are running in November. If you do not mind living in an economic and unaffordable economic sewer where there are few places you can grow and advance, keep voting for incompetent Democrats who are running in November. If you like busting your rear-end to feed the masses, illegal aliens and the entitled, keep voting for incompetent Democrats who are running in November. If you like all the daycare opportunities in-state but have no idea as to how much grift and fraud you are supporting since no politician anywhere cares, keep voting for incompetent Democrats who are running in November. If you want a genuine growing economy that attracts winners rather than a state-supported morass that attracts only politicians, keep voting for incompetent Democrats that are running in November. If you like serial crime and mere lip-service by police agencies to stop the crime as lip-service is all that is allowed, keep voting for incompetent Democrats who are running in November.

 

Maybe, just maybe this election could finally be different if voters see the economic light of darkness that is Ned Lamont and his political hacks who rule Connecticut with an iron fist.

 

Is There Anyone Out There Capable Of The Job Of Being The Governor Of Connecticut?

What does Connecticut need in a Governor? It should be a simple question, but you will have difficulty in answering it.   What would it take for a Republican to be Governor? Is there a person on the horizon that possesses the character, intelligence, vision, and perspective necessary to turn around the total downward spiral of the Nutmeg State?

Believe it or not, Connecticut at one time had a functioning two party system.  In addition, Republicans did hold the Governor's office many times in the state's history. It is even more unbelievable to recall that Connecticut used to be a Conservative working-class state with a great deal of business and industry. Do you want to travel even more over to the dark side? Connecticut used to have a huge and thriving Black middle class with many of these folks working and owning homes due to secure employment in the firearms industry, an industry that was legislated out of existence by “sensitive” Democrat politicians that by “doing social good” threw families into drugs, poverty, fatherlessness, and ruin.  And there were better higher-character people than today on both sides of the aisle. Democrat Ella Grasso, Connecticut first Female Governor, who served from 1975 to 1980, was a working person, common sense Governor for the state and was loved by many on both sides of the aisle for her no-nonsense approach to governing. And there were bad people on both sides as well. Governor Grasso inherited a $70 million dollar plus budget deficit from Republican Governor Thomas Meskill. When taking office, she immediately laid off over 500 state employees, gave back her pay raise of $7,000 and sold the state's limousine and plane to pay down the debt. (https://museumofcthistory.org/2015/08/ella-giovanna-oliva-tambussi-grasso/) Fast forward 50 years later, and we see that Connecticut's short- and long-term debt along with its unfunded liabilities is roughly $100 to $150 billion dollars as politicians on either side of the aisle avoid dealing with this grievous situation like the plague.

After Governor Grasso passed, Connecticut shifted to Governor William "Bill" O'Neil who presided over the boom years of the 80's and subsequently led the state into the recession of 1990 when Connecticut's economy started its 35-year march to economic stupefaction and oblivion. Rather than deal with the matter at hand, the Democrat Party started believing that taxes, spending, running deficits, and the fire hosing of money would cure all ills. Lowell Weicker, a liberal Republican who turned Independent lied his way to get elected. Weicker accelerated Connecticut's economic downturn with his ill-gotten cash grab of Connecticut's first Income Tax, thus starting Connecticut down a path of welfare-state status.

After Weicker, Republican John Rowland became the next Governor in a term with some hope and vision that was later marred by arrogance, bulbous spending, inattention to deficits, and petty scandals. He was succeeded by Connecticut's second Female Governor Jodi Rell in an unremarkable term ending in 2011 that was somewhat liberal in social areas and somewhat conservative in economic matters.

Since that time, the landscape has strayed from all manners of  reasonable conduct, governance and fiduciary responsibility. Since Rell, Connecticut has had two very irrationally liberal and free spending Democrat Governors in Dan Malloy and Ned Lamont. I have written about them at length over the years and I am confident my readers understand and feel the brunt of their economic consequences and actions. However rather than creating a bright line and hammering home critical and sound Republican principles, the Republicans decided to run two sporting and wealthy individuals during the past four elections in Thomas Foley and Bob Stefanowski. In both of their first runs for Governor, third-party candidates seeing a lack of principles in the Republican campaigns moved to run, thus losing elections that otherwise would have been won on better Republican principles and policy. And the second campaigns for each gentleman were far worse than the first. In my opinion, the second Stefanowski campaign was a testimony in the state GOP trying for a muddled and moderate approach to all, thus losing voters on all sides. Hopefully after 16 years the Republican Party now realizes that it needs to get away from the wealthy person as-candidate approach to Governor.

So what does the upcoming election look like for the Connecticut Republican Party in their quest to become a bright-line alternative to the incoherent gibberish and societal decay that is force fed to the public on a daily basis by the Omnipotent (and Incompetent) One Party Rule of the Connecticut Democrat Party?  Looking down the bench of potential GOP candidates to date  I am reminded of Inspector Reynaud in the 1943 film “Casablanca” calling for the “usual suspects” as at the same time I am reminded of the late industrialist and Presidential candidate Ross Perot bellowing that “those who claim to be a part of the solution after being comfortable in the problem are still a part of the problem”. Curiously, no aspirant to date has aggressively championed the good and decent Republican policies of Connecticut residents first, there are only two sexes; male and female, schools need to teach again not be tools of failed and sick ideologies, reforming the white-collar crime of state energy utilities and policy, removal of sanctuary state status and prosecuting deportations, diluting the stranglehold of public unions, non-profit money laundering and fraud, accountability for rogue elected officials and pilfering department heads (followed if necessary by criminal charges) , removing tampon dispensers in boys rooms, dealing with voter fraud, crime, theft, social unrest and gender madness, and dealing with the need for a real balanced budget along with a comprehensive and extensive plan to pay off Connecticut's short and long-term debt along with its unfunded liabilities.  

More egregiously no aspirant to date has breathed a word about rooting out the “Fourth Branch” of Connecticut government, being racketeering and corruption emanating all of the way from the throne room of King Governor Ned Lamont The Unaccountable to just about every branch of elected and administrative government 

This is just a start.

So, who will this next Republican candidate be? That much is uncertain. But what is dead-on certain is that the non-state connected decent taxpaying voter of Connecticut is now well-aware of all of the Elephants in the state living room and will no longer tolerate weak, want to be liked pitty-pat candidates that will once again lead to failure as their well-paid consultants dealing in the profits of failure get paid regardless. The person who runs as the Republican candidate for Governor whether they are male or female, rich or poor, politician or non-politician needs to articulate that Connecticut can do much better than the current affliction and dysfunctional garbage called state government. 

And as my friend and colleague Tony De Angelo often says, it is simple as that, and unfortunately, just as difficult.

 

 

Yet Another Bad Week For Connecticut Taxpayers

It was another bad week for Connecticut Taxpayers thanks to the Connecticut Democrat Party.
First I wonder how many of my readers received a bonus lately.  I know I did not.  I know in the three jobs that I have I have not received a raise in three plus years at two of them and the other one it has been two years.  But for employees of Connecticut state labor unions it was payday with $2000 plus bonuses being paid out this week as part of the secret SEBAC agreement that was negotiated by Governor Malloy and the state unions.  This bonus agreement just cost Connecticut Taxpayers $80 million dollars at the beginning of the new fiscal year 2018-19.  The new fiscal year already has massive projections of major budget deficits in it.
The second piece of bad news for Connecticut Taxpayers is that they get to pay for a $10 million dollar political study for the implementation of tolls in the state.  Even though various toll bills have been voted down and testified against by many drivers and groups in the state, the Malloy regime wishes to force feed the tolls on the state as yet another tax cure all.  Tolls and the shear volume of them that the state wishes to install would make Connecticut one of the most heavily tolled set of roads in the country.  But then again when is any tax is disliked by the Connecticut Democrat Party?
The third item that engages good old Connecticut Democrat Party political patronage is the appointment of former former Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra to fill a vacancy on the state Workers’ Compensation Commission at a salary of a mere $160,000 per year all along with all of the fringe benefits that the job comes with.  Segarra lost his bid for re election in 2015 to hand appointed Malloy wonder boy candidate Luke Bronin who has done little if anything as Mayor of Hartford other than beg for money.  Segarra as you may remember thought he should have been appointed to a judicial nomination by the governor under a secret process after he lost his election.  That process included a closed-door vote in his favor by the state Judicial Selection Commission which was brought to light and subsequently led to his withdrawal for that position.  But don't worry political payoff came for Segarra through this political patronage taxpayer funded job a little later than what was promised by the Connecticut Democrat Party. 
Thus is was yet another bad week for Connecticut Taxpayers thanks to the Connecticut Democrat Party.  More money wasted to add to the $60 to $80 billion dollars of short and long term debt along with unfunded state liabilities that Connecticut Taxpayers owe.  And voters should remember these horrific, economically destructive and long years of omnipotent one party- the Connecticut Democrat Party rule on election day in November.  It is time to take back Connecticut in 2018.

The Economic Costs Of Connecticut's New Tolls

Information on new taxes and user fees is always at a premium for Connecticut Taxpayers.  Our elected officials love sending out Connecticut taxpayer funded newsletters and pamphlets before an election hailing all the great things they have done over the years.  For example, Democrat Representative Mary Mushinsky 85th District who has been in office 37 years stated two years ago in her brochure that the state budget was actually balanced (when it was not and has not been).  Mushinsky and her fellow Democrat legislators will vote in favor of new tolls for the state over the next few weeks with little details being given to the public.
The details of the new tolls (as much as I can could understand from the bill and its amendments) should shock any Connecticut Taxpayer.  Connecticut drivers would have one of the most expensive tolled roads in the country along with the highest costs of administering those tolls.  In other words it would be a Connecticut Democrat Party dream come true of this new tax that would cost Connecticut Taxpayer drivers anywhere from $2000 to $5000 a year for the privilege of driving in our state.  Any where from 72 to 112 tolls could be placed along all of Connecticut's roads at a cost of between 10 and 20 cents per mile.  Congestion pricing would take place during peak times.  In my own personal example of my daily commute from Wallingford to Milford if I were to take my normal routes of I91/95 or the Merritt Parkway would cost me around $6 a day for my round trip or an additional $30 a week, roughly $1500 a year.  When I drive to Gateway Community College in New Haven  to teach my weekly class 32 times a year that drive will cost me another $4 round trip or additional $128 a year bringing just my basic commute to work up to $1628 a year not counting any other driving my wife and I do during the year.  My rough estimate based on our current driving patterns will cost another $1000 a year or more bringing my costs of the new toll tax to over $2600 a year.  If I choose not to get an EZ pass and or an automated toll reader for my vehicles I will be charged 50% more for the same tolls.  I wonder how much we will paying to buy these units for our vehicles?
Any road service company in the state will pay thousands more to service vehicles and road calls.  Any transportation company will have massive costs added to their services thus raising the costs of what they charge companies in the state.  UPS and Fed Ex will be adding toll surcharges to their home and business deliveries.  The general cost of living and doing business in Connecticut will increase by around $1 billion dollars yearly.  This figure is derived by $600 million dollars or more in the new toll tax being paid for by Connecticut Taxpayer drivers and businesses along with approximately $400 million in those same costs being passed along through higher prices for all goods and services bought and used by consumers and businesses due to the new toll tax. Businesses will not be able to absorb this new toll tax due to all of the other taxes and high costs of doing business in this state which include high electric costs, high workers compensation costs, and high fuel taxes that they pay already  It will be a vicious cycle of inflation and a much higher cost of living in the state represented by this new toll tax.
The costs to run this program according to the CDM Smith report would be an astounding $157 million per year with installation costs being in the range of $450 to $600 million dollars (all work would have to be completed by union contractors thus increasing the costs of this project).  Who pays for this is unknown as I can not derive this from the bill.  
The next question will be where will all of this new toll tax money go to?  I do not think it will go to road and bridge improvement as other taxes set out to do the same (Connecticut's secret gross earnings tax on gasoline for example) even though this new toll tax is being viewed as the cure all for improving our decaying and deplorable road and bridge system in our state.  The costs to administer this new toll tax are enormous and have to be met before any new revenue is derived. However in my opinion there is no guarantee that any of this money will end up improving our road and bridge systems but will be diverted to the state's general fund slush fund as has been the norm for years now.
Connecticut is an economic decline due to its high taxes.  The new toll tax should further its economic decline even more so than before.  How much more can Connecticut Taxpayers absorb in the cost of living in this state?  How much more can Connecticut businesses absorb in the cost of doing business in this state?
Why would anyone want to vote for any Connecticut Democrat candidate in this upcoming election based on this toll tax?  Connecticut voters really need to understand the economic costs of keeping the Connecticut Democrat Party in power any longer when examining this new toll tax.  Connecticut's economic path is no longer economically sustainable.

Connecticut's Esty Crisis. Hypocrisy Rules.

Hypocrisy seems to be a prevalent theme in Connecticut politics in 2018.  Hypocrisy
seems to be a prevalent theme in Connecticut politics since the failed state income tax Weicker Administration of 1991.  It seems to me that for the 27 years and counting there is and has been a sense of no rule of law that needs to govern our elected officials at any level of government be it local, state or federal.  For example some of Connecticut's large cities are economic nightmares, poorly run and corrupted.  Hartford has been run into the ground for years its reward comes in the form of a Democrat $500 million dollar plus Connecticut Taxpayers bailout so that its inexperienced Mayor may be handed the Governors position in the coming election.  Drive over to Bridgeport (if you dare) and see a convicted Democrat Mayor get elected again to be Mayor of the city he stole from only to restart the same political machine he had before. He then has the audacity to run for Governor demanding Connecticut Taxpayers matching funds for his campaign.  Sanctuary cities are abundant in our state with little respect or regard given to the legal law abiding taxpayers of those same communities.  
Our state government exhibits a completely irrational means of governing that favors only its management and union employees with an unsustainable salary, benefit and pension package being forced down Connecticut Taxpayers throats.  The political patronage system on both sides of the aisle is alive and well in our state.  More inefficient spending, new and higher taxes are Connecticut's theme of political rule.  Short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities are the norm passing Connecticut's economic problems down to future unborn generations.
Now we introduce the hypocrisy of United States Representative Elizabeth Esty who has led the news over the past week(much to the dislike of in your face at all times Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal who lost his spotlight for a few minutes).  Esty has broken the law although you would have not known that as her cover up continues unabated.  Her crime was that she covered up was one of Tony Baker her former chief of staff accused of abusive and threatening behavior to a co-worker.  Baker's Democrat political reward was that he "resigned" from his $132,000 a year Taxpayer funded position, was given both a Taxpayer funded $4580 buyout and a $5000 severance package along with a letter of recommendation to obtain a job at the gun control organization Sandy Hook Promise.  In private industry I believe that this situation would never have happened and Mr. Baker would have been arrested rather than rewarded as he was.  Esty is having a great deal of difficulty working her way out of this issue she created.  She is a hypocrite to the women she employs on her staff by not protecting her employees from harassment which is against the law.  Esty in her wisdom will not run for re-election placing a damper on the Connecticut Democrat political patronage machine and its lawless values.  I am sure she is making the proper political negotiations so that she will be able to continue to receive her salary and benefits until her term is up.  She will be cast as a victim and will be promised a high paying doing nothing job from one of her campaign donors or at some level of government.  
I truly feel sorry for her remaining employees who have to work for her in threatening conditions.  I am also appalled at the lack of ethics and morals in her office.  Esty should resign but won't.  I also believe the legal voters of Connecticut's 5th District may want someone new to represent them possibly an ethical Republican like Manny Santos or Dr. Petit rather than another corrupt Democrat in the Esty mold.  Hypocrisy rules in our political system.  It sickens me.  And yes it yet another example of the many that: It Is Time To Take Back Connecticut In 2018.

Republican Joe Markley For Connecticut's Lieutenant Governor

As the race in Connecticut for Governor continues to heat up, there is an excellent declared candidate for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.  Republican State Senator Joe Markley from the 16th District is running for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.  Senator Markley is a principled conservative who has been an outspoken critic of Governor Malloy and his tax and spend policies.  Senator Markley has been a champion of Connecticut taxpayers fighting against the economically illogical tax increases that the Governor has forced upon the state.  Senator Markley also fought again the assisted suicide bill that did not make it out of committee.  His reasoning behind his vote against Andrew McDonald for Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court shows the great thought and research he places on each issue that comes before him in the Senate.  You can watch it at   http://ctsenaterepublicans.com/2018/03/my-vote-on-justice-mcdonald/#.Wr9m-4Ih2qA
He believes and has fought for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and personal liberty throughout his political career.
Time and time again Senator Markley has stayed true to his conservative principles throughout his terms as State Senator.  His beliefs and ability to articulate issues is unsurpassed in the State Senate.   Senator Markley's greatest effectiveness will be found as the new lieutenant governor for Connecticut.  More information can be found on him at https://markleyforlg.com/ and also at http://ctsenaterepublicans.com/home-markley/.
It is time for a change in the Connecticut political regime.  It is time for Connecticut Republicans to unite behind Senator Markley for lieutenant governor and his platforms.  I support him and I urge my readers to support him also.

SEBAC 2017-Ten More Long Hard Years For Connecticut Taxpayers

It is sort of like a prison term for those remaining legal taxpaying citizens of Connecticut.  Ten more long hard years of unbalanced budgets, more and higher taxes, more and higher short and long term debt.  It is the SEBAC 2017 agreement which was negotiated behind closed doors between the omnipotent Connecticut SEBAC Labor Union and pro Union Democrat Governor Malloy that should help bankrupt the state over the next four years.  An analysis by Conservative Republican State Senator Len Suzio of Meriden and confirmed by the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) shows a much bleaker side of this union agreement.
Let us look at the supposed savings in wages for the next four years.  The first two years of the agreement there are no wage increases. The state union employees will pay a 1% increase in their health care premiums over a three period raising their premiums from 12% to 15%.  The state still pays the rest of the ever increasing health care premium.  They will also increase their contribution rates to their pensions ending up paying a mere 2 to 4% in the third year of their agreement for their over generous and economically unsustainable pensions.  Union employees have to take three unpaid furlough days that may average a loss of $850 per employee that first year only. That is the end of their "concessions".  However there are "step increases" which are regular annual wage increases for every full-time employee that average 3% each year that are guaranteed.  Even though these increases are suspended for the first two years they increase on average between 6-7% in year 3 of the agreement and 13-14%. in year 4 of the agreement.  However the second year of the agreement each union employee gets a $2000 to $2850 one time payment obviously to make up for the the two year wage freeze and the three unpaid furlough days.  There are also annual longevity payments (I have never received one in any job that I have had since I started working many years ago, have any of my readers received one?) that are paid to state union employees with 10 to 15 years of service, they receive $1,000 each year and those with more than 15 years get $2,000 each year.  This agreement continues through the first two years of the supposed wage freeze thus the state still pays this money out. According to the analysis of the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) a union employee who earned $74,000 in the first year of the agreement will earn $84,000 by the fourth year of the agreement due to the step and wage increases.  How much was given back by the union employees?  In my analysis around $1000 at the most given all the wage increase and payments made during this four year period (an average of $250 per year).  Thus the $10,000 average salary increase adds a mere half-billion dollars to the state payroll over the coming years.  How is this wage agreement saving any taxpayers monies in the next four years?  It is impossible because the other part of this secret agreement is that there can not be any union employee layoffs over the next four years. 
Why is this agreement not the central focus of the Gubernatorial campaign?  Why was this agreement not voted upon by the State Legislature?  Connecticut State Employee Unions own the state government.  It is legal collusion in its purest sense that helps to continue the further economic decline of Connecticut's economy.  Connecticut Taxpayers and Legal Connecticut Voters need to wake up to this embarrassment that is our state government in this upcoming state election.  This supposed money saving agreement secretly negotiated between the Connecticut Democrat Party and SEBAC is a farce.  There is no credibility as far as I am concerned in our state government.  And the remaining legal Connecticut Taxpayers continue to be economically raped by the ruling political elite and corresponding state employee labor unions through agreements like this.  Enough is enough.

Connecticut's Lack Of Fairness To Its Remaining Taxpayers

In his last State of the Union address, Governor Dan Malloy embarked upon a typical liberal Connecticut Democrat progressive and utopian vision of tolls everywhere, much higher and new taxes along with the same rhetoric of affordable mandated health care, higher minimum wages along with a much lengthier paid family leave law.  He threw in the usual cuts in municipal aid to "wealthier" towns to give more more money to the Democrat run economically failing cities such as Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven.  The broken down XL Center gets yet more money to prop it open.  He harped on these liberal concepts as part of a "Connecticut Fairness" plan which ties in with the Connecticut Democrat Party plan of a "Values Agenda" (whatever that may be). Not a word was mentioned in his speech about the budget deficits nor the massive amount of short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities the state has in 2018.
Malloy thus has spent both terms as Governor raising taxes and forcing an even more failed liberal agenda upon the remaining Connecticut Taxpayers left in the state.  Does he realize how bad the state's economy is and that we are still yet out of the recession?`
But the question must be asked after listening to this speech is "How is this budget fair to Connecticut Taxpayers?" In my analysis all this new budget does is once again raises taxes, makes driving in Connecticut especially expensive with a seven cent increase in the gas tax tax along with congestion price tolls on all highways and secondary roads in the state and expands taxes elsewhere.  The new budget keeps up social welfare programs for those in the state here illegally along with a much higher minimum wage (which will eliminate more jobs in the state).  Why does "Fairness" apply in this budget only to those who are politically connected such as state labor unions, the ruling political hierarchy and those here in the state illegally?  What happened to "Fairness" to those who are legal citizens of the state and pay an excessive amount of state taxes to live here?  Are they not entitled to any benefits of state government?  And how has this Connecticut Democrat Party liberal agenda worked so far in the state since the Malloy Administration began in 2011?  Haven't we seen an enormous amount of businesses and citizens move out of the state since 2011?  How many tax increases has the state had? Why is the short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities of the state now $60 to $80 billion dollars, a massive increase since 2011?  What is the plan to pay off this debt? 
Fairness does not exist in the Connecticut Democrat Party in 2018.  This budget is a cesspool of higher taxes and failed programs that can only further the economic decline of the state.  It is economic garbage.  Yet this is the liberal agenda that the Connecticut Democrat Party will be running upon throughout the state in the upcoming elections this November.  And this why all Democrats need to be voted out of office on election day from top to bottom.  Dan Malloy's policies have failed completely since 2011.  The Connecticut Democrat Party's policies have failed completely since 2011.   Enough is enough.

Connecticut's Government Lacks Exceptionalism

Exceptionalism is defined as "the condition of being different from the norm; also : a theory expounding the exceptionalism especially of a nation or region."  Connecticut's government lacks exceptionalism.  If anything Connecticut's government is a mediocre self serving instrument of those individuals and groups that have political connections to those in power in Hartford.  Its only concern is to nurture and develop what has failed in the past only to be restated as the new better idea even though that same idea has meet with disaster in the past.
Tolls and higher taxes are the new in words for failed Governor Malloy this week.  Further proving our state government's lack of exceptionalism we are now going to turn to tolls on our state roads in the theory that some out-of-state drivers will pay for these tolls(even though reports and studies indicate 70% of the tolls will be paid for by state drivers) and higher gas taxes.  One could argue that Connecticut drivers pay an extraordinary amount of taxes for the privilege of driving on Connecticut's horrific road and bridge system.   For example drivers pay already pay 39.3 cents per gallon in a state gas tax, a fee to buy their drivers license, a tax to register their vehicles each year, the already enacted state tire fee when one buys a new tire, and the property taxes that you must pay when you own a vehicle.  This new toll revenue will supposedly be directed to improve and maintain our road and transportation system in the state.  I wonder where all the revenues goes from the various taxes drivers pay already?  Obviously not to road and bridge repair and maintenance.
Connecticut's government lacks exceptionalism especially when we have had already the two largest tax increases in the states history during the failed Malloy Administration.  Connecticut's government lacks exceptionalism especially when most state agencies when asked by the states budget director what recommendations could be made to cut spending in their agencies replied by suggesting nothing or failed to reply at all, while some recommended increasing spending instead.  To me this proves that these highly paid state agency directors are clueless in both running their agencies and in understanding the magnitude of Connecticut's budget crisis.  Not one of them was willing to take a pay or benefit cut to help the state.  In private industry these same people would be fired for their lack of action and ineptness in management.
The Connecticut state budget crisis continues unabated.  We hear the same rhetoric of some sort of new tax and or fee placed on Connecticut Taxpayers will solve the same problems that have yet to have been solved with all of the taxes and fees the state has already.  Silence is heard when wanting to examine and address both management and union salaries, benefits and pensions.  This sacred and cherished part of our state government fully funded by Connecticut Taxpayers may never be spoken of and or reformed.   
Yes, Connecticut's Government lacks exceptionalism.  And yes it has failed Connecticut Taxpayers.  New taxes and tolls help to advance the Connecticut Democrat Party agenda of a failed economy but continues to protect those who own this rigged system of government.

Not Fiscally Sound

Connecticut's Governor Malloy has vetoed a bill this week to reverse eligibility restrictions in the program that would have reduced or eliminated health benefits for an estimated 113,000 seniors and disabled patients.  The bill would have helped those 113,000 people who were stripped of these additional health benefits payments in Malloy's recent deficit ridden budget.   The bill would restore those funds that these 113,000 people use to help pay their Medicare related expenses. The claim that the funding for it was not fiscally sound.  I wonder as a Connecticut Taxpayer what if any of the Democrat and Governor Malloy budgets and or programs has ever been fiscally sound in his rule?  I wonder as a Connecticut Taxpayer what if any of the Democrat and Governor Malloy deals that were made with Connecticut State Employee Unions were fiscally sound?  I wonder as a Connecticut Taxpayer what if any of the Democrat and Governor Malloy numerous tax increases that were supposed to balance the budget were fiscally sound?  I wonder as a Connecticut Taxpayer what if any of the Democrat and Governor Malloy proposed programs on tolls and congestion pricing to drive in Connecticut will be fiscally sound?  I wonder as a Connecticut Taxpayer what if any of the Democrat and Governor Malloy state union and management pension and benefit programs are fiscally sound?
We have a state government that is economically inept.  We have a taxpayer funded state government that enjoys hurting those most in need in our state while embracing political patronage and illegal immigration.
Malloy's veto of this bill should be overridden immediately.  Why does Connecticut's government like to hurt those most vulnerable in our society while embracing those here illegally?
Connecticut's Democrat led government lacks fiscal sense.  They lack economic logic.  This veto of a bill that helps many vulnerable citizens in our economy is yet another example of how the Connecticut Democrat Party feels about its taxpayers and citizens. 

Anybody Want To Buy A Used Connecticut Civic Center? Brother Can You Spare Me $134?

For sale:  Connecticut elected officials and bureaucracy.  Start by inquiring about taking off the states hands a run down Hartford Civic Center.  Contact Dan Malloy for details and what you need to offer the Connecticut Democrat Party to buy it at a song.
The song that is constantly sung by lame duck Governor Dan Malloy and the Connecticut Democrat Party is that they are right all of the time and you are wrong.  In this case it is OK for a state that has $60 to $80 billion dollars of unfunded liabilities and short and long term debt to add to that amount by another $40 million dollars of bonding to try to fix the Hartford Civic Center and then try to sell it.
As a Connecticut Taxpayer do you understand that logic?  Hartford is broke.  Thus keep sending its hand picked Mayor who is trying to become the next liberal Governor of Connecticut more cash to prop up its failed leadership and city economy.  After all what is another $40 million dollars of Connecticut Taxpayers monies?  Governor Dan Malloy and the Connecticut Democrat Party see the $40 million dollars as a drop in the bucket to suffice the state's unionized construction unions to work on this new make busy project.  Lame duck Governor Dan Malloy and the Connecticut Democrat Party endorses spending this $40 million dollars while cutting the Medicare Savings Programs that helps 113,000 Connecticut senior citizens with their Medicare premiums.  These cuts to the seniors amount to around $1600 a year or $134 a month in subsidies that they will no longer receive.  Here is a thought instead of giving $40 million dollars to the outdated Civic Center why not continue this program to help these seniors who are hard pressed to survive in Connecticut with our astronomical cost of living?  Why does Dan Malloy love to inflict the most economic pain and suffering on those Connecticut citizens who are the most in need?
This is yet another example of the tyranny of Dan Malloy and the Connecticut Democrat Party.  Hurt those who need the help.  Give to the political elite and politically connected.
Thus $40 million dollars of Connecticut Taxpayers monies are thrown out the window, more waste of our hard earned tax monies.  And 113,000 senior citizens lose $134 a month that they can't afford.  Too bad they are treated like this in our state.  But isn't Connecticut's government run for the benefit of the elite few who pay to play and have the right political connections?  Of course it is.  Don't forget it.

Connecticut's Economy Is Lousy

Connecticut's economy is lousy according to a recent United States Department of  Commerce report that looked at economic statistics and results from April to June 2017.  The state now ranks 43rd among 50 states for economic growth and is dead last of all New England states.
These statistics along with the next two quarters of results that will come out over the next six months will probably show the same poor statistics along with zero economic growth for 2016.  This will be the foundation that the Connecticut Democrat Party will run on in 2018.
This lack of economic growth, along with one of the highest pension liabilities in the country, along with being one of the highest taxed states in the country, along with short/long term debt and unfunded liabilities of $60 to $80 billion dollars is their platform in the 2018 state election.
Taxpayers and voters can then view if they are better off than they were in 2012, 2014 or 2016 when they head to the polls.
It will be interesting to hear the rhetoric from both sides of the aisle in the upcoming election.  The Democrats will probably maintain that most of the problems here in Connecticut are the result of President Trump and his policies even though he will only have been President for two years at that point.  We will hear all the great things the Connecticut Democrat Party has done for the elite state union and management employees protecting their high levels of taxpayers funded salaries, benefits and pensions.  We will hear about more Connecticut businesses moving out of state and the desire for yet more casinos being built here to solve all of our economic problems.  We will hear how higher taxes will solve all of the states problems.  We will hear lies and rhetoric the two areas the Connecticut Democrat Party excel at.  Any Democrat who is running for re-election or for the first time is running on a failed tax and spend, zero economic growth record.  That is the reality of 2018.  The state media will be excusing the Connecticut Democrat Party every step of the way for their incompetent and incoherent policies that they have shoved down taxpayers throats now for many, many years now.
The Republicans in their too crowded field for Governor will be coming up with plans and policies that may or may not be enacted depending if they gain control of the state House and Senate.  The candidates will be fighting among themselves wasting precious time and monies in their campaigns about their qualifications.  The party will miss a golden opportunity to restore Connecticut to economic vibrancy if they lose in 2018.
Connecticut's economy is lousy.  It is the work of the Connecticut Democrat Party.  They own our economy.  They are more concerned about political nepotism and patronage than anything else.  They look forward to their bloated pensions that were driven up by mileage reimbursements in many cases.  They follow no laws or rules in our state.  They are the cancer that has eaten away Connecticut's economy.  And they deserve to be in power in 2018?  Really?

Why Democrat Dan Malloy has never been trusted. Connecticut's new budget crisis.

Dan Malloy Connecticut's lame duck Governor can not be trusted.  He should be viewed as a Dictator not a Governor.  In my opinion he has never been trusted since he has been elected.  He has an obsession in cutting and destroying fiscally conservative and financially well run Republican led towns in order to preserve both union and non union management benefits, salaries and pensions.  He has decided not to follow what was voted upon in the budget that was just passed in which he was required to find cuts to state overtime and to consolidated bloated government administrative functions.  Thus instead he cuts now $91 million dollars to aid that Connecticut's municipalities were counting on after their budgets have been passed and enacted.  This comes after the first series of cuts to their aid.
To explain this example as far as it pertains to Wallingford, the town now loses $1.8 million dollars in funding that they have budgeted for in the current fiscal year that is five months old.  Thus where does Wallingford find this money?  It only has three choices.  First it can somehow cut this money from the current budget.  This is difficult to do since we are already five months into the budget.  Second it can raise taxes however this can not occur until the next fiscal year.  Lastly it can raid its rainy day fund to cover this cut.  In this past local election the rainy day fund and budget surpluses were an issue by the Democrats (along with Charter Revision).  The Democrats claim and have claimed in the past that Wallingford has too high of a rainy day fund.  Is it too high now?  Since the Democrat Governor has decided to make an example of Wallingford because it is run efficiently and with fiscal conservatism by cutting $1.8 million dollars?
Dan Malloy now gets what he wanted all along with his economically irrational budgets he has proposed, the massive shift of costs of state mandated programs, services and teacher pensions to cities and towns from the state.  Connecticut budget in theory then becomes only a tool to manage for a select few union and non union management employees benefits, salaries and pensions.  It also must keep paying interest on its massive amount of bonding debt along with its unfunded short and long term liabilities.  We again see clearly the economic non sustainability of our state government since its only mission is to protect the politically connected state work force.
The Connecticut Democrat Party and its Governor can only be viewed as an economic cancer to the state.  Year in and year out Connecticut voters have heard the promises that become lies from them.  This budget is no different than all of the other Malloy budgets, higher taxes, higher spending on union and non union management employee benefits, salaries and pensions.   Dan Malloy can never be trusted, he is not a leader.  He can not be propped up any more.  He really should resign and be done with it.
Why Connecticut voters decided to trust Democrats this past local election defies logic.  However I am confident that voter remorse will set in very quickly in January.  Especially when they get their new property tax bills in 2018.

No Connecticut Budget on October 21

My usual blog on a Saturday is to remind Connecticut Taxpayers that there is still no budget and there is still massive short and long term unfunded liabilities and debt.  Along with above market salaries, benefits and pensions for both state management and union workers.  Thus today, Saturday October 21, I will state the same there is still no budget and there is still massive short and long term unfunded liabilities and debt.  Along with above market salaries, benefits and pensions for both state management and union workers.
There was a budget proposal that was worked on and is being ready for a vote this coming week.  Governor Malloy has been shut out of these negotiations as both sides are tired of his fits of rage when dealing with his economically illogical proposals on his four ridiculous budgets that he has presented.  The new budget raises the cigarette tax and eliminates the local property tax on motor vehicles which will shift this tax burden to cities and towns.  It increases the amount that state teachers contribute to their pensions from 6% to 7%.  Currently according to the Office of Fiscal Analysis Connecticut has one of the highest average teacher pensions in the country at $59,000 per year for those who retired in 2016.  In 2017 it will increase more.  State teachers do not pay into Social Security but pay 6% of their incomes into their pension fund.  The pension fund unfunded liability is expected to increase dramatically over the next ten years.  The amount the state contributes to this fund will grow from $1 billion dollars a year to $6 billion dollars a year in the near future.  Connecticut also offers a state income tax break on those state teachers pensions of 50% beginning in 2017 up from the current 25% if these teachers continue to live in Connecticut.   Connecticut Taxpayers who have private sector pensions receive no state income tax exemption for their pensions.  For those individuals who work in the private sector and who pay into Social Security their tax is 6.2% on their incomes.  As an example, an individual who works in the private sector and averages $80,000 a year in income will when retiring at age 67 will only receive an average social security payment of $22,000 to $27,000 a year depending on gross life time earnings.  This figure is much less than Connecticut teachers retirement benefits.  The fiscal imbalance is enormous for Connecticut Taxpayers who work in the private sector.  If we look at other state pensions for both management and union workers the amount they receive in their pensions are well above average as compared to other states.  Some state workers do not even contribute to their pensions.  Some state pensions will add overtime and mileage reimbursements to their pensions.
This budget proposal also address binding arbitration cases for towns and cities by allowing more than just the last offers from both sides to have to be accepted in these cases.  This leaves more room for negotiations and less costly proposals to be available for cities and towns.  The budget naturally will bail out the city of Hartford to help avoid their inevitable bankruptcy.
There is a lot to like and dislike about this budget proposal.  Connecticut Taxpayers can see the incredible power the state employee unions have over how the state is allowed to spend their monies.  Connecticut Taxpayers can also see how above market salaries, benefits and pensions for both state management and union workers will eventually be the only area that the state will be spending its money on and will probably lead to our own states bankruptcy. 
How did Connecticut end up in this fiscal mess?  In my economic opinion it has been pay to play, give unions and all of the other special interest groups what they want paid for by Connecticut Taxpayers.  Make sure votes both legally and illegally are then delivered to the Connecticut Democrat Party to keep them in power.  Push any economic solutions to resolve the impending economic crisis to future unborn generations.
What a mess.
It is time to take back Connecticut.

No Connecticut Budget On October 14

Yes there is still no Connecticut budget as of October 14, 2017.  Connecticut remains no only state in the country not to have a budget.  Connecticut still has a massive amount of short and long term debt, short and long term unfunded liabilities along with a massive budget deficit.  Connecticut is ruled not by an elected state legislature but by an omnipotent state labor union along with a core of management non union employees whom are all paid above market salaries, benefits and pensions.  These above market union and non union salaries, pensions and benefits have helped to contribute to Connecticut's constant economic decline and enormous debt.
Thus we still have no budget.  Governor Malloy chooses to insult all groups that he dislikes in the state with regards to his economically illiterate budget proposal he presented several weeks back.  Governor Malloy chose to veto a bi-partisan budget that passed the House and Senate that would have started to address the massive tax and spending problems the state has.  But no the Governor has hissy fits and tantrums when he is being questioned about his budget or lack of leadership.  Yet budget negotiations trudge on and on and on. 
And the best part of the entire crisis is that Connecticut Taxpayers will paying Malloy's pension for years to come when he gets out of office.
A dictatorship is seen in Hartford.  Connecticut Taxpayers support this dysfunctionalism on a daily basis due to the high levels of taxes they must pay to live in the state.  The Malloy Administration has been an abysmal failure in governing.  The Connecticut Democrat Party is a tool of the state labor unions.  And Connecticut Taxpayers are governed by an elite few and told what they can have and not have.
There is still no Connecticut budget as of October 14, 2017.  There are still no answers to Connecticut's massive amount of short and long term debt, short and long term unfunded liabilities along with a massive budget deficit. There are still no answers to Connecticut's above market state union and non union salaries, pensions and benefits.  No answers.  Just political grandstanding by the Connecticut Democrat Party.
It is time to take back Connecticut in 2018.

The Malloy Gimmick Veto-Still No Connecticut Budget

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.

Connecticut Is The No Budget State

It is too bad that Connecticut does not have a coherent new budget that cuts spending and does not raise taxes.  The Republican budget proposal offered no new or increased taxes and it also cut spending.  This type of budget was not acceptable to Governor Malloy or to most of the tried and true liberal tax and spend union endorsed Democrat legislators that have helped to drive Connecticut into economic ruin.  The Republican budget which was passed by both the House and Senate was vetoed by Governor Malloy who then felt a need to take to the road to condemn the Republican budget and somehow try to gain support for higher taxes to once again solve all of Connecticut's economic woes.  His road show was comical at best as many Connecticut Taxpayers see through his lies and deceptions of his failed economic policies of massive tax hikes along with massive increases in spending.
Malloy's veto represents his Administration's views of he is right and everyone else is wrong.  Only Dan Malloy and his Connecticut Democrat Party policies and points of view are correct.  There is no room nor has there ever been compromise in Hartford.  It is only the failed Malloy way or no way at all as is seen with this inept budget crisis continuing to this day.
What was wrong with signing the Republican passed budget?  For one thing it asked for cuts in state spending.  Connecticut Taxpayers realize that Dan Malloy and his Connecticut Democrat Party along with state labor unions reject any attempt for fiscal conservatism.  After all how do you buy votes in 2018 if you can not promise highly paid state jobs to those who deliver them?  Why should there be any shared sacrifice in dealing with the Connecticut debt problem? 
So we still do not have a budget.  Negotiations seem to be going nowhere and with good reason.  There is a passed realistic Republican budget that cuts spending and does not raise taxes.  It should have been signed by Governor Malloy and been given a chance to succeed.  The two largest tax increases in the states history have done nothing to either balance the budget nor pay down Connecticut's excessive long term debt. 
Why couldn't something new been tried to help the state?  I know why.  Connecticut Taxpayers have no say in our government as we only work for the Democrat dictatorship that has entrapped our state for too many years now.
It is time to take back Connecticut in 2018.

Governor Malloy-Sign The Republican Budget

I do not think the Connecticut Democrat Party understood what happened to them when there was defections in their ranks and some moderate Democrats decided to vote for a Republican sponsored economically feasible no tax increase budget.  Do they realize that their economic lies and excessive taxation has now actually grown stale with their own party members?  Does the Connecticut Democrat Party now realize that the last seven years of the Malloy Administration has been a complete economic failure of excessive taxation and excessive short and long term debt?  Has the Connecticut Democrat Party seen the amount of houses and condos for sale in our state?  Has the Connecticut Democrat Party seen the amount of businesses that have moved out of our state in the past seven years?  Does the Connecticut Democrat Party have any plan to pay off Connecticut's short and long term debt of $60 to $80 billion dollars?
There are no answers to these questions by the Connecticut Democrat Party.
Thus several of their members have decided to move away from their tax and spend policies and try something different.  A Republican budget that actually cuts spending and does not raise taxes.  A budget that looks at the excessive costs of mid and upper level management positions in all areas of state government including higher education. And the responses have been the usual bureaucratic outcries of how all of these cuts will decimate their programs.  Have all of the higher taxes and higher spending for these same programs in the past seven years done anything to make Connecticut economically attractive and viable?  Or has all of this excessive taxing and spending brought Connecticut to its knees economically?
Governor Malloy needed to sign that budget immediately.  Of course he didn't and we will see in a few days his massive spending cuts take place for our cities and towns on October 1.  We will see his politically charged and induced form of punishment of well managed and economically efficient towns and cities losing aid for state mandated programs take hold while Connecticut's corrupted and poorly run cities gloat in their windfalls of yet even more state aid.
Leadership in Hartford has not been seen for many years now.  This budget allows Connecticut the beginnings of a new prosperity and towards economic growth.  It gives the remaining legal Connecticut residents and taxpayers a slim glimmer of economic hope for the future of the state.
But will Governor Malloy and the Connecticut Democrat Party admit their lies and move this budget to become law?  I highly doubt it.  The Connecticut Democrat Party is and always will be the economic cancer that has destroyed Connecticut.  Enough is enough.

The New Connecticut Republican Budget. Governor Malloy Sign The Budget.

Yes there is a new Connecticut budget.  Several Democrats are upset that several Democrats decided to ask in a coherent fashion and vote for a Republican proposed budget that cuts spending and does not increase taxes like the stale Democrat budget proposal did.
Yes it is shocking that several Democrat Senators and Representatives decided to try a new budget that cuts spending and does not increase taxes as does the Democrat proposal offers.  However we now see that Democrat Governor Malloy is having a fit to see that the Democrat Party has basically ceded power to the Republicans in the House and Senate and he has stated that he will veto any Republican budget passed.
That is funny to me.
It is funny to see Governor Malloy who in my economic opinion has been an abysmal failure as a Governor will still veto a budget that contain no taxes increases and he will pursue his failed economic policies of higher spending and higher taxes to placate his chosen political cronies he embraces until this day.  But isn't today a day of reckoning?  A day that many of us would never have seen coming?  A day where several moderate Democrat Senate and House members decided to try something different and embrace Republican economic policies that might bring Connecticut back from its economic nightmare that it has been living through for too many years now?  That day was September 16th.  A day when Connecticut started its path bath to economic and fiscal sanity.
Governor Malloy sign the budget.  Give it a chance for a change.  Do not veto the budget.
Governor Malloy sign the budget.
Governor Malloy sign the budget.
Governor Malloy sign the budget.
Change needs to happen today for Connecticut's future.
It Is Time To Take Back Connecticut In 2018.

September 9 and No New Connecticut Budget

Again we have no new Connecticut budget.  Nothing new.  It is now September 9 and there is no new Connecticut budget.  71 days into the new fiscal year and there is still no new Connecticut budget. However we are witnessing the unmitigated gall of the Governor and the Omnipotent One Party Rule of the Connecticut Democrat Party in now developing the third highest tax increase in the states history with their new budget proposal coming after the two highest tax increases in the states history.  Those two highest tax increases were supposed to stabilize the states finances.
This new proposal again with zero input from the Connecticut Republican legislators who represent over 47% of Connecticut voters and taxpayers will be shoved down our throats in the coming days.  The tax increases are severe.  There is an increase in hospital taxes. There are increases in the state sales tax, an elimination of tax free week in August, the property tax credit on the state income tax would be reduced to $100 and be limited to senior citizens or those with dependents, a new 7% restaurant sales tax and an increase the conveyance tax on real estate sales.  Municipal aid to towns and cities to help pay for mandated teachers pensions will be cut thus creating higher property taxes for local property tax taxpayers.
Thus Governor Malloy has lied once again to Connecticut Taxpayers.  He will raise taxes yet again.  Connecticut still does not have a balanced budget.  The Connecticut Democrat Party has once again lied to Connecticut Taxpayers and will raise both taxes and spending.
There has been no real cuts in spending in the upcoming out-of-balance fiscal 2017-18 state budget.  There will be again budget deficits in six to nine months as more businesses and personal taxpayers move out of state.  There will be no mention of any plan to pay off Connecticut's $60 to $80 Billion dollars worth of short and long term debt along with unfunded liabilities.  There is no discussion of the constitutionally mandated state spending cap that was ruled illegal by the Democrat Attorney General.
Connecticut voters and taxpayers need to recognize the fact the Governor and the Connecticut Democrat Party can not govern in any way, shape or form.  They can only legislate for themselves, their state unions and their political friends.  They despise Connecticut Taxpayers and Connecticut businesses.  The Governor and the Connecticut Democrat Party are useless in resolving our states economic problems.
A solution to our economic issues in Connecticut would be a general Taxpayers strike.  Connecticut Taxpayers would stop paying their state taxes thus it would strip our state government from its funds to enrich its political ruling class and truly force real budgetary negotiations along with real structural changes to take place in Hartford.  Alas I can only dream of a non corrupted state government in Hartford.
More of the same tax and spend lies will be spewed this week as Connecticut Taxpayers lose once again with still even higher taxes to try to manage.  All while Dan Malloy and the Connecticut Democrat Party lie and laugh at Connecticut.
It is horrific.