Showing posts with label Joe Markley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Markley. Show all posts

Saturday, March 31, 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.

Saturday, February 17, 2018

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.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Connecticut's Only Concern:Salaries, Benefits, Pensions and Debt

For those who are actually able to decipher Connecticut's state budget and short and long term debt issues one may want to put a for sale sign in front of their house immediately and move.  For those of us who choose to fight both parties and remain to take back Connecticut this year one must comprehend the economic Armageddon that may take place if spending is not brought under control.  Currently Connecticut has between $60 and $80 billion dollars in short and long term debt along  with unfunded liabilities.  For every $1 of tax money raised .35 cents of it goes to salaries, benefits, pension and debt.  That means .65 cents is allowed to be spent for actual operations of the state.  Thus one may see more clearly the economic mess the state is in since 1/3 of the state budget is spent only on salaries, benefits, pensions and debt.  To further the economic short fall in the future state pensions have accelerated at massive pace.  According to a recent report and article issued by the Hartford Courant and the Yankee Institute there are now over 1400 former state employees who receive pensions of over $100,000 a year in 2016 as compared to just 110 former state employees eight years ago.  Connecticut state employee pensions can include overtime worked along with car and travel expenses to boost up this amount.  The IRS defines the highest pension that can be received is $215,000.  This does not matter to former UConn business professor John F. Viega who gets over $300,000 a year in his pension.  His pension violates IRS law but nothing is done about it.  This is not allowed in the private sector where most employees must be enrolled in a 401K type pension along with their meager amount of Social Security they receive.  The private sector pension benefits are minimal compared to the generous Connecticut Taxpayer funded benefits that have helped enrich Connecticut's political ruling class for years now. 
Connecticut candidates for Governor especially on the Democrat side have avoided the subject of every $1 of tax money raised .35 cents of it goes to salaries, benefits, pension and debt.  They choose to look for new ways to raise taxes the most common Utopian one being car and truck tolls everywhere in the state.  Connecticut already has one the highest tax rates in the country with little to show for it so I guess the economic logic is raise them even more than they are now.  Don't bother to reign in the every $1 of tax money raised .35 cents of it goes to salaries, benefits, pension and debt.  That might impact Connecticut's political ruling class and their dictatorial rule in our state economy. 
Connecticut has a complete economic disconnect in its state government.  While many of Connecticut's middle class struggle to survive and while many of Connecticut's super rich move out of state to low tax states like Florida and the Carolina's, Connecticut's political rulers just keep making excuses to raise taxes more to nurture the economic quagmire that continues unabated. 
Something has to give.  There needs to be a complete overhaul of Connecticut's union and non union salary, benefits and pension system and structure.  Connecticut can not survive in the long run spending the amount it does on union and non union salaries, benefits and pensions.  It can not keep borrowing to survive.  No amount of new or higher taxes can raised to offset this excess of spending.  Connecticut will cease to exist as we know it if spending is not brought under control.  And no amount of failed Connecticut Democrat Party Liberalism can save them this election year.


Saturday, April 29, 2017

New Budget. No New Or Higher Taxes

Connecticut's Legislature has a decision to make in this years budget.  They need to cut spending drastically.  They need to cut wages, benefits and pensions for both union and management workers.  They need to address the issues of $60 to $80 billion dollars of long term debt.  They need to understand why Connecticut ranks near last in too many economic and business well being categories.  They need to stop protecting and nurturing a ruling elite political hierarchy that has done little other than pad their own economic pockets at the expense of Connecticut Taxpayers. They need to become realistic about the amount of nepotism and corruption that is deemed a normal way of doing business in our state government.
The Republicans offered their own budget plan this week.  It was a refreshing breath of economic fresh air that was immediately condemned by State Democrat Legislators but not by lame duck Governor Dan Malloy.  The Republican plan was far reaching as it offered no new or higher taxes in the budget.  It still wants $1.5 billion in concessions from the state employee labor unions.  It eliminates grants for public financing of campaigns under the failed Citizens Election program. 
It streamlines many bloated state agencies eliminating many positions that have done little for our state.  It provides for a much more coherent, effective and smaller state government to actually bring back the state from its economic decline.
In my economic opinion it is a long overdue budget presented by the Republicans and needs to be addressed immediately.  The Connecticut Democrat Party has for too many years disrespected Connecticut Taxpayers.  Their tax and spend policies have driven Connecticut to near economic ruin.  For the economic turmoil they have created over the past 30 years the Connecticut Democrat Party should and will become a minority party in the 2018 elections.
Connecticut Taxpayers should bombard their legislators especially if they are represented by a Democrat and voice their support for this Republican budget proposal.  Let us finally address our states economic crisis and resolve it once and for all.
It Is Time To Take Back Connecticut in 2018.

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Good Riddance Governor Dan Malloy. Too bad you don't resign now.

Good riddance Dan Malloy.  He is not running for a third term as Governor of Connecticut.  But now we have 20 more long hard months of a lame duck do nothing Governor.  However, Malloy can still do a great deal of damage for the state over the next 20 months.  He can still raise taxes.  He can still impose draconian socialist laws.  He can still fund raise and shake down the remaining Connecticut businesses to donate to Connecticut's Socialist Democrat Party and their omnipotent one party rule.  He can still condemn the Connecticut Republican Party for not doing anything on the state budget even though they are not allowed be part of the state budget negotiations.  He can still harbor, nurture and give state benefits to the large Connecticut illegal immigration population.  He can get his political cronies into state jobs that pay high salaries, benefits and pensions with little oversight and or productivity expected.  He can spread false job creation reports.  He can still claim how great of a job he has done with the states economy even though Connecticut is last or near last in most economic categories in the country.  He can still blame former Governors for the economic mess he inherited even though he implemented the two largest tax increases in the states history.  He can still move money off budget to claim a balanced budget while also stating (as he did when he ran for reelection) there was and is no budget deficit.  He can still travel around the country as head of the Governors Association and condemn any and all Republican states, ideas, policies and most importantly fiscal conservatism at all times. 
And above all he can receive a massive Connecticut Taxpayers funded pension for the eight year mess he created for Connecticut while comfortably living in a low taxed tax in the future that does not have a state income tax. I am confident that this will be Governor Malloy's agenda for the next long and economically hard 20 months he will still be our socialist Governor.
Governor Malloy in my opinion is what is wrong with our political system in 2017.  He represents why President Trump is our President today.  Malloy is a political hack who did little for the city of Stamford as Mayor and has run Connecticut into a morass of economic lies, deceptions, high taxes and excessive debt.  He has basically ruined Connecticut.
Malloy has been a socialist Governor.  He is disliked and seems to hold a great deal of contempt for Connecticut Taxpayers.  His high tax and spend programs that have enriched his political contributors and friends have failed Connecticut miserably. 
Connecticut needs a much a better government in all departments.  Connecticut needs a checks and balances system to govern.  Connecticut needs much more honest and ethical people to both work in state agencies and to actually represent Connecticut Taxpayers.  In 2017 with the exception of a handful of Republican legislators such State Senators Len Suzio and Joe Markley our State House and State Senate needs a complete overhaul. 
The great socialistic experiment called Connecticut is an abysmal failure.  Let us hope that both economic and personal freedom can be restored sometime in the near future.
Good riddance Dan Malloy.  And good riddance to the Connecticut Democrat Party in 2018 as it is and will be finally time to take back Connecticut in 2018.  I hope it is not too late.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Will there ever be a debate between Connecticut Progressives and Connecticut Conservatives?

Will there ever be a debate between Connecticut Progressives and Connecticut Conservatives?  On the future of the Connecticut economy?  On the tax structure of Connecticut?  On benefits, wages and pensions for Connecticut state employees both union, non union and management positions?  On addressing the short and long term debt structure of Connecticut? 
It logical that many would view this debate as being fruitless. 
The Connecticut Democrat Party has an exceptional liberal and progressive view of the state's economy and economic conditions.  It seems on annual basis their policies and plans of action include the elimination of more personal and business freedoms.  It also includes implementation of new taxes, extensions of existing taxes and shifting state mandated programs to most local towns and cities with no or limited funding being given to them to run them.  To them and to the voters who back them this seems to be an acceptable way to run Connecticut's government.  Transparency and the rule of state laws also are ignored.  The protection of illegal immigrants and a non equilibrium minimum wage are a priority.
The Connecticut Republican Party has a handful of conservatives in the party who try to act as a voice of reason in their limited debates with running Connecticut's government.  The most noted in my opinion are State Senators Joe Markley and Len Suzio and State Representatives Rob Sampson and Craig Fishbein who are fiscally and socially conservative.  They are in my opinion a guiding light in trying to correct the excesses of the failed economic and social programs in our state.  Peter Lumaj a conservative who most recently ran for Secretary of State in 2014 is leading a drive for the Republican Gubernatorial nomination in 2018.  The Connecticut Republican Party has continually fought to be allowed to be included in state budget negotiations but have been boxed out for years now.  2017 is no different in my opinion.  Also in my opinion the Connecticut Republican Party over the years has become very moderate and liberal in its views, thus becoming non existent  in the governing process.  In the cities of Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven the local Republican Party is irrelevant and virtually non existent as the local Democrat Party rules with an iron fist with horrific economic results.  
The 2017 Connecticut State Budget offers more of the same policies and taxes that keep Connecticut in the bottom five states in our country as far as job creation, debt per capita, unfunded liabilities, economic vitality, economic wellness and highest tax categories.  The payment for these excesses in now being passed onto to local taxpayers through the form of higher property taxes. 
Will there ever be a debate between Connecticut Progressives and Connecticut Conservatives?  I highly doubt it as those are economically and financially mobile are moving out of Connecticut daily. Many of Connecticut's middle class are trapped here in an economic cesspool of taxation without representation.  The debate here is real.  It has been ignored too long.  A rational economic thought process needs to begin again in Connecticut.  It still has not started in 2017. 

Friday, November 04, 2016

You Mean There Is A Connecticut Democrat Economic Plan? Kind Of Late-Don't You Think?

The Connecticut Democrat Party never ceases to amaze me especially when it is election time.
The Governor claimed there was no budget deficit and the budget deficit has not ceased to exist for six long years now of new and higher taxes.
The Governor claimed that business conditions have improved through his and his fellow Connecticut Democrat programs of corporate welfare that picks the winners and losers in our economy.  Even though Connecticut ranks near the bottom in all too many economic programs.
The Connecticut Democrat Party now has a supposed "small business agenda"  that they are embracing.  Even though in my economic opinion the Connecticut Democrat Party is anti business and anti free market as proven by their tax and spend policies and by their current United States Senator Richard Blumenthal's war on small businesses while he was the states' Attorney General for all too many years.
The Connecticut Democrat Party embraces corporate welfare as a means to their political ends-we will throw you want you want, make sure you donate to our cause.  Sort of like Hillary Clinton's current campaign and tenure as Secretary of State.
Taxpayers must be wondering why and how any Connecticut Democrats are running for election or reelection in 2016 for the State House or State Senate based upon the horrific economic conditions we have in our state?  Do you they really believe that their economic policies somehow work?
They do not.  And they never will.
It is time to take back Connecticut on Tuesday.  Enough of the politically and economically inept Connecticut Democrat Party.  We can not afford two more years of omnipotent one part rule that has failed our state day in and day out.
Vote for State Representative in the 90th District Craig Fishbein
Vote for State Representative in the 85th District Serge Mihlay.
Vote for State Representative in the 86th District Vin Candelora.
Vote for State Senate in the 13th District Len Suzio.
Vote for State Senate in the 16th District Joe Markley.
Vote for State Senate in the 34th District Len Fasano.
Vote Republican this Tuesday.