From: Susan Kniep, President
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
(FCTO)
Website: http://ctact.org/
Email: fctopresident@aol.com
860-524-6501
February 13, 2008
"..it
does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless
minority
keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." - Samuel Adams
Welcome
to Tax Talk 114
Tax Talk 114
includes the following. Please visit each item for more specifics….
- Flo Stahl announces Feb 23 Meeting, Open to the Public and
Sponsored by the Avon Taxpayers Assoc –
Subject: Economic Stimulus Begins at Home.
- Sandra Feld of Concerned Southington Citizens
announces March 6 Presentation by Armand Fusco, author of Ending
Corruption and Waste in Public Schools.
- President Bush Signs Stimulus Package Today
- FCTO questions if CT Towns Will Grab The Federal Stimulus Dollars
Through Property Tax Increases
- FCTO will ask Governor Rell and State
Legislators to Pass a Property Tax Cap this year, while we continue to look for reform of
Binding Arbitration and other mandates
- Mike Guarco announces Consortium for
Fiscal Responsibility has grown to 200 concerned local officials looking
to reform state mandates
- USA Today Reports that
State and local government workers are enjoying major gains in
compensation, pushing the value of their average wages and benefits far
ahead of private workers
- Governor Rell’s Budget Proposal
- Attached is CCM’s review of Governor’s
Budget to include specifics of Property Tax Cap
- Article: School Board Officials Say Cuts Coming
- Remember to Keep a check on the State’s
Legislative Calendar
*****************
PRESIDENT BUSH JUST SIGNED THE STIMULUS PACKAGE!
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=101863&topicId=104090047&docId=l:742803246&isRss=true
BUT WILL CT TOWNS GRAB THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS
THROUGH PROPERTY TAX INCREASES?
The Federation of CT Taxpayer Organizations is releasing a
letter to Governor Rell and State Legislative leaders
asking for the property tax cap to be implemented this year. We believe the cap will be a safeguard to
prevent local elected officials from confiscating the money which Connecticut residents
will receive through the federal stimulus initiative. Without a property tax cap, the stimulus
money could be perceived to be a windfall by local officials, who without restraints, will increase local property taxes.
Connecticut homeowners pay one of the highest property taxes
in the country, second to New Jersey. Seventy-five to 85% of local property taxes
pay for personnel related expenses. USA
today just issued a report
wherein they emphasized that State
and local government workers are enjoying major gains in compensation, pushing
the value of their average wages and benefits far ahead of private
workers. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-02-01-civil-servants_N.htm
With the
requirement of GASB43/45, soon we will learn of the hundreds of millions of
dollars which will ultimately impact local budgets to pay for the healthcare of
government retirees in the 169 towns in Connecticut. Waterbury
is anticipating that figure could reach as high as $800 million. When these figures are disclosed they could
impact the credit rating of towns as well as the cost of bonding. http://www.gasb.org/project_pages/opeb_summary.pdf
200 municipal
officials have joined with the Consortium for Fiscal Responsibility, to
encourage State officials to reform state mandates and promote cost-management
initiatives. Mike Guarco
of the Consortium has attached a document which outlines Governor Rell’s budget to include the Property Tax Cap.
A Message from Mike Guarco
of the Consortium: BudgetGuru06035@aol.com
As
the short session of the legislature for 2008 opens, the Connecticut Municipal
Consortium for Fiscal Responsibility welcomes recent endorsements from the
Board of Education in Enfield, the Board of Selectmen in both Wilton and Lyme
and the Board of Finance in Wilton. The latter becomes the 200th
Board/Chair representing 116 towns and cities statewide that have joined our
ranks in this grassroots and bipartisan cost-management initiative.
We’ve
come a long way in three years, and are being heard and felt in Hartford,
thanks to the many of you who weigh in with legislators when bills of substance
are at issue at the Capitol We also have
received acknowledgement in the press and from COST, CABE and CCM of our role
last session in helping advance issues such as prevailing wage reform and in
defeating the expansion of Heart and Hypertension. Our voice is strong when, from all around the
State, we take the time, individually, to act ... to call … to email.
Soon
it will be time to make our voice heard again at the Capitol. We are advised to prepare for a return of
Heart and Hypertension expansion bills.
We also will see debate on issues directly tied to all three
cost-management planks of the Consortium, as the Governor has elected to cover
similar ground in her budget bill submission to the General Assembly (see
attached).
*****************
From USAToday
State, local government workers see pay gains - State
and local government workers are enjoying major gains in compensation, pushing
the value of their average wages and benefits far ahead of private workers, a
USA TODAY analysis of federal data shows.
The gap is widening every year, rising by an average $1.02 an hour last
year and $2.45 an hour over the past three years. The better pay and benefits
for public employees come as private-sector workers face stagnant wages and rising
unemployment. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-02-01-civil-servants_N.htm
*****************
GOVERNOR RELL’S
BUDGET
http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?a=1809&q=405152
*****************
Avon
Taxpayers Association Public Meeting
Subject: Economic Stimulus Begins at Home
Saturday, February 23, 2008
1 PM to 5 PM
Avon Public Library Community Room
The Public is Invited
A Message from Flo Stahl, flostahl@snet.net - "Economic
Stimulus Begins at Home" will be the theme of an Avon Taxpayers
Association public meeting to discuss present and future property tax
implications resulting from the proposed Avon
town and school budgets. The open meeting will be held Saturday, February 23rd,
in the Avon Public Library Community Room from 1 to 5 p.m.
*****************
Concerned Southington Citizens Meeting
How to Protect, Maximize and Monitor School Resources
Speaker:
Armand A. Fusco, Ed.D.
Author of Ending Corruption & Waste In Your Purblic Schools
Thursday, March 6, 2008, 6:30 PM
Southington Police Station,
Lazy Lane
The Public is Invited
Contact Person: Sandra Feld, csc@feldclan.com
*****************
School Board Officials Say
Cuts Coming
The Associated Press -
At the same time, economists predict local revenues will drop over the next few
years as real estate values decline, generating less in local property taxes ...
See all
stories on this topic
*****************
Remember to
Keep a Check on the Legislative Calendar for Issues Important to you. http://www.cga.ct.gov/
