July 16, 2011
From: The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer
Organizations
Contact: Susan Kniep, President
Website: http://ctact.org/
Email: fctopresident@aol.com
Telephone: 860-841-8032
TAXPAYERS/VOTERS: You can
thank the state employee unions for cuts in services and safety personnel as there will be 57 fewer state troopers, fewer group homes
for the disabled, fewer Department of Motor Vehicle offices, fewer social
service offices, fewer teachers, and fewer prison guards and more as noted by CTNewsJunkie in its article captioned Layoff Totals Revealed; Cuts Will
Present ‘Challenges’ where documents
released by Malloy’s administration show he plans on eliminating 6,560 positions in state government. As CTMirror.org
just reported Doors closing across Connecticut to balance state budget.
Had enough! Please accept …..
OUR
INVITATION TO VOTERS AND TAXPAYERS!
JOIN THE FEDERATION ON JULY 23, 2011
AS WE DISCUSS HOW WE CAN END THE CONTROL
OF STATE EMPLOYEE UNIONS OVER OUR STATE AND ITS FINANCES AS OUR STATE AND LOCAL
PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE!
Date: Saturday, July 23, 2011, Time: 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Location: Wethersfield
Library, 515 Silas Deane Highway,
Wethersfield, CT
RSVP: Susan Kniep 860-841-8032, email: fctopresident@aol.com
Directions: http://wethersfieldlibrary.org/contact/directions.html
Taxpayers are burdened with $1.5 billion in new taxes. Next year,
with increased costs for state and municipal public sector employee wage and
healthcare benefits and other cost drivers, taxpayers
could be facing a dramatic increase in property taxes as Connecticut’s economy continues a downward
spiral. Cuts to municipal aid could also be on the horizon.
The Wall Street Journal
reported today Property-Tax Revenue in Record Decline.
The New York Times gives us
an idea of the underlying problem impacting other areas of the country which is further
highlighted in the article Bankrupted by Cushy
Pension Contracts.
And the report on 14 Cities That Are Being
Eaten Alive By Public Sector Workers
offers insight into the impact on local municipalities.
As Governor Malloy terminates thousands of state employees, the
residents and businesses of our state will be impacted by a reduction in
services which could also impact our safety.
State Employee Unions have
flexed their muscles and brought our state to its knees. Their antics
during the past several weeks successfully demonstrated to Connecticut taxpayers and the nation that
they are in absolute control of our state.
But the unions are not done
with us yet. As if we are not bruised and battered enough, they want to
regroup and march back on to the battlefield.
In the name of Liberty, The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer
Organizations wants to join them on that field where we are prepared to fight
to put the control of our state where it belongs – with our elected officials –
not with the unions. For those state and local elected officials who
don’t want that control, they should leave the office to which they were
elected.
Throughout the country, taxpayers are united in pursuing
reforms to Collective Bargaining Laws.
The Federation will be
meeting on July 23, 2011 to discuss our proposed reforms to Collective
Bargaining Laws to include the end of taxpayers
paying to collect $32 million in state employee union dues for union
bosses, removing management issues from public sector union contracts,
ending longevity pay, and prohibiting overtime being factored into pensions,
some of which exceed $150,000 and more with taxpayer-funded health
benefits.
To view what some employees are earning in wages and
pensions, research the new State's Transparency website at http://transparency.ct.gov/html/main.asp
Connecticut State Employees had their chance. As others looked on in
awe, Connecticut State Employee Unions were offered a
lucrative 4 year job guarantee, 9% wage increase, and enviable health and
pension benefits. But for some, that wasn’t enough! Their goal was to
drain the pockets of struggling taxpayers. And collective
bargaining gave them that power as for some their length of employment put them
at the top of the food chain. This alleged tight knit brotherhood and
sisterhood we discovered was not so tight after all as many state employees
take their place in the unemployment line driven there by their fellow union
members.
Join the Federation on July 23, 2011 to continue the
discussion on how individual taxpayers can work collectively and within their
individual towns to reform Collective Bargaining to control state and local
property taxes.
Date: Saturday, July 23, 2011, Time: 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Location: Wethersfield
Library, 515 Silas Deane Highway,
Wethersfield, CT
RSVP: Susan Kniep 860-841-8032, email: fctopresident@aol.com
Directions: http://wethersfieldlibrary.org/contact/directions.html