Redistrict, How About Balance and A Real Two Party System For Connecticut?

I vaguely remember a two party system in Connecticut. Many years ago. When there was an actual two party system representing taxpayers and voters here in Connecticut.
Those days are long gone with one party rule by the Democrats at a state and national level here in Connecticut. And we can see the results in our state with a poorly run and bloated state government along with a group of up and coming non productive, economically illiterate, millionaires representing us in Congress.
Thus the debate now shifts to preserving this one party rule by the redistricting maps being shown to a skeptical public. I am skeptical as why would the Democrats give up a chance to continue one party rule and be able to anoint the next Congressional millionaire/billionaire to represent themselves and their special interests which have given them power (like Chris Donovan). The voter and taxpayer are left out of this decision on who represents them. We really do not have any representation on a state or national level in Connecticut and redistricting again proves it.
Again more and more businesses and taxpayers will vote with their feet and leave the one party dictatorship called Connecticut. Redistricting is just another example of the total lack of respect shown to the voters of Connecticut.

Poor State Government

Do we have good state government? Do we have one of the highest tax rates in the country? Do we have one of the highest electric rates in the country? Do we have a poor road system in the state which can not be fixed due to a lack of funds? Do we have one of the highest workers compensation rates in the country? Do we have one of the highest unemployment payment taxes in the country for employers? Do we have one of the highest levels of corporate welfarism in the country? Do we have one of the highest unfunded liabilities for pensions in the country?
At what point do we state as taxpayers we have had enough?
At what point do we state as taxpayers that we have a poor government in Hartford? And that nothing can be done about it?

Poor state government that is Connecticut. 2012 can not come soon enough.

Occupy A Job! And Other Thoughts

Some random thoughts:
How about occupying a job and being productive in life?
How about the rights of taxpayers?
How about a massive cut in federal spending and no tax increases?
How about the taxpayers who pay to use I-84 Entrance Ramp and were not allowed to use it yesterday-they do not have rights?
How about the irony in the Mayor of New Britain wife being arrested at the I-84 protest?
How about the irony in the high property taxes in New Britain?
How about letting Wallingford elected officials govern rather than being forced to go to referendum on anything to do with the downtown area?
How about letting the free market system work in our economy?
How about basic economics classes be required of all elected officials at all levels of government?
How about state leaders actually staying in the state and governing?
How about unfunded pension liability reform?
How about a balanced budget according GAP?
How about economic freedom?

Why I Do Not Support The Referendum and Will Vote No

I do not support the referendum on the Simpson Court Parking Area and I am going to vote No on Monday.
Wallingford is a beautiful town especially its downtown area. Many citizens in town believe it or not, use the parking area in front and behind the businesses in this area. I personally park in front when there is a spot and do my banking business and then cross the street to go to the Post Office. It is easy, convenient and saves me time. I foresee all of that being gone if this does not pass as the parking lot will only be for those businesses there. Thus I get to waste more time.
Another point is that the lease agreement has been in effect for 50 years now. I personally would not want strangers parking at my house or business and leaving their cars in my lot. The owners of this area have been helping the town in area business and municipal government parking for years. Why must it change now? Because the town wants to improve the area? The same argument can be made when the town offers a tax break for a business moving here in town? What is the difference? Why aren't the self appointed financial police investigating each one of these deals? Because they benefit Wallingford that's why.
However this parking area is great political fodder and recognition especially after Tuesday's election results for the Democrats. And they are wrong in their arguments-they do not make sense to me economically.
Also I do not see as the cure-all the old Wooding area as a municipal lot. This should be used to create the expansion needed for the Police Department which would eventually incorporate more public parking. As such that is down the road and it is an area which realistically is two to five blocks down from where people wish to be in the downtown area. That will cost money also.
Sometimes money needs to be spent. In this case it is money well spent which helps the local economy and local businesses. All of Wallingford and all of Wallingford's downtown merchants benefit from this paving. If Wallingford's downtown merchants are prosperous then more jobs are created and more tax revenue is created. It is a win-win situation for both private business and local government. Why this has become an issue is beyond me.
One final point-as I watched the local Public TV show created by anti paving self appointed spokesmen I was confused by their thoughts and arguments. What lower Quinnipiac Street has to do with the paved downtown area is beyond me? Do they want us to park down there and walk up ten blocks? If it is so littered, with the time they spent creating this show they could have picked up all of the litter and done something actually productive for once rather than costing taxpayers monies once again with this referendum. Actions do speak louder than empty words.
I do not support the referendum on the Simpson Court Parking Area and I am going to vote No on Monday. I hope you vote No also.

Vote Today. And Vote Republican.

Vote today. Yes go out and vote. Whether you are live in Wallingford or any other town here in Connecticut, vote today. It is your constitutional responsibility. Democracy can only be achieved when voters actually go out and vote. Not just 40% but 100% of those who are registered need to go out and vote.

Wallingford voters have an exceptionally strong slate of Republican candidates to vote for especially Tom Laffin, Vincent Cervoni, Craig Fishbein, Tom Marrone, Tanya Bachand and the rest of the Republican slate. And Mayor Dickinson deserves your vote for another term.

Remember vote today, don't be a spectator in our democracy.

$72 Billion Dollars and Counting...

Hey what's $72 billion dollars plus and counting? If you are a taxpayer that is how much you have given collectively to the Federally run Freddie Mac mortgage company. Of that $72 billion, approximately $14.9 billion has been paid back. Of the remaining $57 billion that is owed, in my economic opinion I doubt seriously if it will ever be paid back. And we are not even counting how much Fannie Mae has stolen from taxpayers.
So-hey what's $59 billion and counting when it comes to taxpayers monies. Washington realizes that those taxpayers (like myself) who actually pay federal taxes (along with state and local taxes) have unlimited sources of income to pay for these types of corporate welfare bailouts. And to continue to pay we shall so long as this economically inept administration is in office.
The mortgage market needs to clear out once and for all. Those who can not afford their homes need to move out of them, bad mortgage debt needs to be written off and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not deserve one more cent of taxpayers monies. They both need to be privatized. Once and for all clean up the mortgage debt market.

Another Couple Million Dollars. Who Is Counting?

Hey what is another couple million dollars of clean up, lost work, lost production and damage to Connecticut?
We just had a hurricane two months ago which cost the state millions upon millions of dollars. Now we have a northeaster cause more damage to the tune of millions upon millions of dollars.
We hear that CL&P will raise rates if they must trim trees more often than in a five year cycle. My economic question to CL&P (and no I do not have them here in Wallingford thankfully) is why are you in business if you can not maintain your wires and are ill equipped to handle a crisis or two?
And why is Governor Malloy underwhelmed with the lack of response by outside entities? Are they responsible for the storm and the lack of preparedness by both his Admninistration and CL&P? Anyone know what self sufficiency means? Anyone know how to prepare for an emergency by trimming trees and investing in underground utilities? We have plenty of money to waste for the one party rule special interests in Hartford but we have no money for what is really needed in our state which is investment in our infrastructure so consumers in winter do not to wait days on end for something as simple as electricity. Are we a third world nation?
The priorities do not exist in Connecticut-Hartford's one party rule is the priority of political expediency, nepotism and special interest lobbying. Not something as stupid as electricity and infrastructure.
But then again what is another couple of million dollars anyways?

How About "Taxpayers Awareness Day" Rather Than Diapers?

How about it Mr. Malloy and Ms. DeLauro-"Taxpayers Awareness Day" rather than "Diaper Awareness Day". In a state with still a massive budget deficit along with massive amounts of unfunded liabilities what are we not having a "Taxpayers Awareness Day"? Why isn't the current regime in Hartford educating taxpayers as to the massive amounts of tax monies that are being spent on cronyism and corporate welfare? Why are taxpayers not being told the real truth about the waste of taxpayer's monies going to program after program of the micromanagement of our businesses and our lives in this state? Why are taxpayers going to be forced to pay for diapers? I do not remember anyone paying for my daughter's diapers back in 1988, thus why I should pay for another person's today?
Why?
Ultra liberalism as exhibited by these two paid professional politicians continues to fail our state and our country on a daily basis continuing the economic downward spiral we have. We can only continue to fail economically when taxpayers must pay for diapers for liberalism. We truly have a socialist state lost in progressiveness to achieve a false Utopian society in which a ruling elite like the current one party rule dictates to us what we can and can not have. And we continue to lose taxpayers in our state as more socialism like this is forced down our throats.
"Taxpayers Awareness Day" How about today?

Dickinson For Mayor Again In Wallingford

I love Wallingford. I do not like Connecticut much any more with its progressive one party ultra liberal ruling elite in Hartford. Wallingford however, is a community that its citizens are proud of. It is a town that many people want to move to because of its strong school system, low taxes, low electric rates, close location to both Hartford and New Haven, many stores and businesses. It is a community where we have seen a steady positive course continue through the administration of Mayor Bill Dickinson. I believe that the Mayor who has been in office for many, many years now has led Wallingford by example always putting the town's needs first over self glorification and personal gain. He lacks an ego which so apparent with our new Governor for life.
In this election we have the same cries of a lack of progressiveness and the downtown parking lot crisis. It to me is more of the same debates which do not lead to any positives for the community.
This election a vote for Mayor Bill Dickinson and the Republican candidates for Town Council and Board of Education will continue the path of progress for our great town, Wallingford.

$290 million taxpayer's monies = 300 Jobs - Have You Checked How Much More You Are Paying In Additional State Taxes?

Let me try to understand more fully the Jackson Labs welfare deal with the state of Connecticut. Jackson Labs are supposedly going to raise $800 million from other sources (there will be apparently taxpayers monies coming from federal sources) and the state will subsidize them with an additional $290 million of taxpayers monies to have them move here. 300 jobs will supposedly be created from this. Apparently also these same 300 jobs will create trickle down economic growth from homes being bought, more children to be educated in taxpayer funded public schools, more groceries being sold at the local Big Y, etc.
But what will be the actual economic reality? It will take a great deal of time for the facility to be built. The facility will have cost overruns as what normally happens in deals like this. The company can not guarantee that economic issues will arise in the future and thus they shut down as has happened in prior deals that the state has agreed upon.
The costs of corporate welfare are enormous in our economy. The state could have pursued for years a business friendly environment with low taxes, low electric rates, low workers compensation costs, a functional transportation system and a normal non combative, non anti business Attorney General. Businesses would have wanted to locate in Connecticut. Instead we have had a severe anti business climate in our state since the Weicker Administration.
$290 million dollars of taxpayers monies can be better spent. I agree with Senator Suzio, stop this plan. Start forgiving state taxpayers who must burden this ridiculous corporate welfare system.

Tanya Bachand For Wallingford Board Of Education

Another Republican candidate for the Wallingford Board of Education that stands out this election is newcomer Tanya Bachand. Ms. Bachand is fiscally conservative and is interested in bettering our education system.

From the Wallingford GOP website http://www.wallingfordgop.com/bachand.html
"I am looking forward to serving on the Board of Education. I bring a conservative outlook and a strength in long term strategic financial planning. With the right fiscal management, Wallingford can strengthen and amplify the education of our children, while maintaining a fiscal discipline that respects the taxpayer. I'm excited to bring the taxpayer back to the education conversation."

She is for education and deserves your vote in November. I know she has our vote.

Michael Brooder For Wallingford Board Of Education

I am voting to help re-elect Michael Brooder to the Wallingford Board of Education. Michael has a child in Rock Hill School and is active in our community. He also believes in a strong educational curriculum which address our economy's needs.
From the www.wallingfordgop.com website
“As a father of a Rock Hill School student, I understand the need for a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for the 21st century. I firmly believe we must create a learning environment that assures educational opportunities for our students. I have been a longtime supporter of quality education. Drawing from my experience as a Certified Public Accountant and current community involvement, I will focus on fiscal responsibility and leadership for educational excellence for Wallingford.

“I look forward to serving the youth of Wallingford, their parents and the town’s citizens and take on this opportunity with vigor and enthusiasm. I am eager to take on this challenge and confident that with hard work and determination I can make a difference.”
I urge you to vote for Michael Brooder for Wallingford Board of Education.

Christine Mansfield For Wallingford Board Of Education

Christine Mansfield is a newcomer to the Wallingford Republican Board of Education ticket. However she is an active part of Wallingford in many ways. She is an articulate and caring candidate for this position in my opinion.
From her website: http://christinemansfield.com/

As a wife, mother of three, Wallingford business owner, Chamber member and active community volunteer, Christine is thrilled to accept the Republican Committee endorsement to run for the Board of Education.

Christine asks for your vote to build the best education system in partnership with our parents, our teachers, our taxpayers and business community. Every child deserves this great freedom of education and the opportunity to achieve and learn. Every teacher deserves the resources to bring 21st century and fundamental skills to the classroom. Every taxpayer deserves School Board members with decision making, budget decisioning and partnership experience to spend each dollar efficiently and wisely.

These uncertain times challenge candidates to make solid decisions based on experience, but with plans for the future. Your vote for Christine Mansfield is a vote for experience and leadership. Your vote is a vote for a Villanova University and MBA graduate with a track record of bringing people together from all parties to make fiscally sound decisions. Your vote is for a mother of three children, passionate and involved in supporting this great school system. Your vote is a vote for a business owner, committed to children and education, the work she has performed and been acknowledged by several respectable organizations:

* Experienced decision maker on Quinnipiac Chamber Board of Directors, Holy Trinity School Chairwoman of the School Board and Wallingford School District Strategic Planning Committee
* Legislative advocate in Hartford for pro business, pro job legislation as Co-Chairwoman of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee
* Active supporter at Dag, Moran, Sheehan and Lyman Hall as speaker at Career Fairs and keynote for the Lyman Hall School to Career Awards Dinner

* Strategic Leader in Community youth projects pm Wallingford School District's School to Career Board and Wallingford Community Theatre

We are voting for Christine Mansfield for Wallingford Board of Education and hope that you also vote for her too.

Joe Marrone For Wallingford Board Of Education

I am using one of my votes to help re-elect Joe Marrone to the Wallingford Board of Education. I recently talked to Joe at the Celebrate Wallingford festival this past Saturday on his reelection campaign. Mr. Marrone has done an excellent job in my opinion in his first term on the Board.

From his website:http://votejoemarrone.com/issues.html
Value

Education accounts for more than two-thirds of our town budget. We need to make sure that we are providing the highest quality of education to our children while providing the best value for our taxpayers.

Accountability

Our school system needs to be held accountable to our customers (our students, their parents, and the taxpayers that make it all possible) for delivering a results-based education.

Parental Involvement

Involved parents can do more for the education of a child than any school program. To that end, our school system needs to do as much as it can to foster the cooperation of parents, teachers and the school administration.

Vocational / Life Skills

Not every student is college bound. Students should be exposed to as many types of vocational skills as we can reasonably provide so that students that are not on an academic path can still succeed in life.

Bullying

We need to be ever vigilant and aggressive at combating bullying in our schools. Students can't learn if they are anxious or fearful of their classmates.
Academic Rigor and Fidelity of Instruction

We need to ensure that every student gets the same challenging, high quality education regardless of which school they attend or what teacher delivers the instruction.
I urge Wallingford voters to re-elect Republican Joe Marrone to the Board of Education.

Craig Fishbein For Wallingford Town Council

Research on town issues is critical to any Town Councilor's success. Republican Craig Fishbein in my opinion does a great deal of research on the issues that confront the Wallingford Town Council. In his first term on the Council, Mr. Fishbein has been prepared and well informed. I like that in someone that represents our town.

I recently had an opportunity to talk to him with regards to the 2011 election. He stated: "I believe that it is not the government’s responsibility to give us handouts or to tell us what to do. It is not the government's place to regulate and/or to tax us to death. As a member of the Wallingford Town Council, I will strive for smaller government, low taxes, and less interference in the day-to-day affairs of our law-abiding citizens."

Mr. Fishbein has been a strong member of the Council and does an excellent job in analyzing what comes in front of the Council. I believe he would do another great job in his second term representing Wallingford.
He has my vote for another term.

Vincent Cervoni For Wallingford Town Council

Another strong candidate from the Wallingford Republican party that is running for re-election to the Town Council this election is Vincent Cervoni. I had an opportunity to talk to him a few weeks back about his campaign and views for the upcoming election.
When discussing his first term on the Council, Cervoni stated:
"As I come to the completion of my first term on the Wallingford Town Council, I'm proud to have been part of an administration which has achieved a bond rating of Aaa. This speaks to the pattern of fiscal responsibility commenced by Mayor Dickinson and which has carried through recent years."
"While I do believe that Wallingford is a great place to live for people from all walks of life, I would like to see an improvement in the appearance of our downtown district, our uptown area, and the Route 5 corridor. It is my hope that I will be given another term on the Council to work toward these objectives."

Cervoni has been in my opinion a strong and effective Council member in his first term, he is articulate and offers a great deal of insight on many issues that come forward to the Council. He deserves a second term.
Mr. Cervoni has my vote this November.

Tom Laffin For Wallingford Town Council

I like Tom Laffin. I am going to vote for him as one of my votes for Wallingford Town Council. Tom served on the Wallingford Board of Education and is well aware of the issues going on in town. Tom would bring to the Council a common sense approach to fiscal management of our town along with a business oriented focus. Tom was articulate when he was on the Board of Education on all issues he faced. He is a life long resident of Wallingford and to me is greatly qualified to serve our community with his education and business experience.

From his website www.voteinlaffin.com
My Plan for the Continuation of Successful Principles and Practices for a Prosperous Community
A Vibrant Downtown:

I want a strong, healthy downtown. I want to make it easy and convenient for people to go, shop, dine, enjoy friends and show off their town.
A Solid Education:

Wallingford is highly respected for its education system by other towns and its administrators. After serving on the Board of Education for four years, and working along side of Superintendent Dr. Menzo and our team of teachers and administrators, I understand the needs of our children and how to balance those needs to work well with the general government.
Reliable Utilities:

I'll work to make sure the Mayor and the Public Utilities Commission have the resources and flexibility they need to continue the success we have benefited from. Our town boasts one of the strongest and most reliable electric companies on the east coast. Our water and sewer departments provide inexpensive and unfailing services that are the envy of our friends from other neighboring towns.
Fiscal Responsibility:

Budgeting to make sure our reach does not exceed our grasp, Wallingford has maintained it's strong AAA bond rating while continuing to grow within our means. By working to foster the town's self-sufficient nature and lack of strong dependence on the state for funds allows us to direct our own future.

Tom Laffin, the right choice for one your votes for Wallingford's Town Council
I know Tom has my vote this November.

Trying To Understand Higher Taxes But Can't

As an economist I continue to try to understand politicians most favorite phrase and term-"Higher Taxes". I no longer understand what this term means as it relates to government and its' spending. Higher taxes seems to mean that taxpayers have an unlimited amount of income that they must pay to government at all levels, local, state and federal.
Taxpayers must accept these poor economic decisions that are made by our elected officials and thus pay these higher taxes to continue to support an inefficient and bloated government. Politicians remain unchecked in their economic power grab of taxpayers' income and wealth. Then this money is redistributed in some ways to an elite few for their own economic gain. Higher taxes strips economic growth out of our economy.
Higher taxes does little to help government control spending and or pay down debts as has been see through the bloated Democratic state budget enacted. A massive tax increase (higher taxes) has done little to help our state economy nor is it addressing the massive unfunded pension liabilities of the future.
So I do not understand higher taxes. Nor do we have any plans for addressing our national debt, addressing our massive Connecticut unfunded long term debt or resolving massive unemployment. We have more of the same rhetoric-higher taxes, over and over again-ad infinitum (to infinity).

Hey Whats $13 Million? Taiwan Is Nice This Time Of The Year

Hey who cares about $13 million in pension funds? Especially when state pension unfunded liabilities are anywhere from $10 to $15 billion depending on who you believe. So what is the big deal about the State Treasurer trying to figure out a way to get that $13 million out of Taiwan? Heck I do not understand why the Democratic party and the state media isn't applauding her for making that kind of money on the pension funds. Why are they not giving her a raise? Or maybe a new car with new plates and registration? Why shouldn't taxpayers pay for that?

I mean $13 million can go a long way to paying down that $10 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. What is that about a 1/2% of it? I mean I know somewhere the Democrats have a plan for paying it off like raising more of our taxes or some other economic scheme. Just like the plan for rebidding almost $1,000,000 in banking contracts which have not been rebid in ten years.
Oh well-what's money when it is not yours and you do not have to be accountable for it? Anybody see $13 million?

How Many More Disincentives To Work In Our Economy?

How many more disincentives will this administration come up with to make working for a living a thing of the past? 99 weeks and counting for unemployment benefits. A special unemployment tax levied on all businesses in Connecticut who pay into the unemployment fund due to it being broke. Massive taxpayer funded stimulus packages for the past three years and the net result is even higher national debt and higher unemployment rates. We now can argue that there too many disincentives to actually go out and find a job. These disincentives further erode any hope for economic expansion and growth in our economy.
In my economic opinion due to the anti business atmosphere that the Obama Administration has and its anti free market theories, many businesses will not hire new workers in a period of economic uncertainty. Businesses are fearful of massive new labor laws and economic regulations which continue to hinder our economy in the long run. Thus, no new jobs.
Maybe new jobs will be found in 2013 with a change in Presidents. It can't happen soon enough.