From:

Susan Kniep,  President
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Website:  ctact.org
email:  fctopresident@ctact.org

860-524-6501
August 25, 2004

 

WELCOME TO THE 34th EDITION OF 

TAX TALK

 

Your update on what others are thinking, doing, and planning 
Send your comments or questions to me, and
I will include in next week's publication.  

Please note that TAX TALK is now on our Website

 

FCTO MEETING PLANNED FOR OCTOBER!

I hope everyone had fun in the sun this summer, and you are now ready for work as usual.  Our June meeting was a tremendous success, and will be surpassed by our October meeting.   We will soon be finalizing the date of October 9 or 16.  So save these dates for another informative meeting at Chatfield in West Hartford.  

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Websites and Articles of Interest

Connecticut State Statutes Governing Municipalities:   http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/pub/Title7.htm

Connecticut State Statutes on Municipal Charters:   http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/pub/Chap099.htm

Project on Government Oversight:  http://www.pogo.org/

 

Vermont’s Lawsuit on Importing Prescription Drugs from Canada: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01107.html

 

Bush Leaning Toward Supporting Prescription Drug Imports:  http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/18/bush.drugs/

 

Federal Budget:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2004/

 

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Marvin Edelman, marvined@earthlink.net

Windham Taxpayers Association

Subject:  FCTO  Bill of Rights for Taxpayers

Date:  July 3, 2004

 

Marvin Edelman, serves on FCTO’s Board of Directors and has provided us with much insight into government issues and suggestions on how we can protect the interests of taxpayers.  The following is one such proposal which the Federation intends to pursue.   Thank you Marvin. 

 

 

Comments for the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

By Marvin Edelman, June 26, 2004 (Updated remarks made at the FCTO June meeting.)  The governments of the United States and the state of Connecticut were constructed on the foundation of two central political principles:  separation of powers and checks and balances.  Many municipalities in the state of Connecticut with governing boards in which the mayor or first selectman functions both as an executive officer and a legislator violate these two priniciples. Even if these central principles were in place,  representative democracy can only function responsibly and accountably when elected and appointed officials fulfill their public duties in an ethical manner.

 

In recent years a number of municipal officials in the state of Connecticut have betrayed their constituents’ trust with dishonorable conduct.  To focus attention to this situation, I propose that the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations recommend to municipal and state legislatures the creation of a Citizen Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

 

There are bills of rights for every conceivable group.  But one major group has been left out—citizen  taxpayers.  There is a United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, a national bill of civil rights, students bill of rights, doctor/patient bill of rights, veterans bills of rights, hospital patients bill of rights, an animal bill of rights, etc. etc. etc.  But there is no citizen taxpayer bill of rights.  And the state of Connecticut needs one desperately.

 

In the citizen taxpayer bill of rights, the following should be included:

First and foremost, a clear and specific code of ethics with clearly defined illustrations of conflict of interest which shall be applied to all elected and appointed municipal officials and employees; an expanded and inclusive citizen right to petition and referendum regarding any statutory situation and decision within the jurisdiction of local governing, finance and education boards; non-partisan municipal elections as are conducted by 90% of the municipalities in the USA; term limits for elected and appointed officials; immediate removal from office and loss of state or municipal pensions for elected or appointed officials when convicted of a felony; recall from office for elected or appointed officials who are judged guilty of violation of the code of ethics or conflict of interest; an ombudsman/ mediator service with the authority to resolve complaints and disputes between citizens and municipal officials, agencies, and employees; a creative mechanism that will consider alternate ways and means for providing state-financed public school services that will contain spiraling costs; and a government structure established on the foundation of separation of powers and checks and balances.

 

I propose that the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations establish an on-going lobbying committee for the initiation and promotion of this Citizen Taxpayer Bill of Rights and other FCTO proposals to the various bodies with the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the state and municipal governments.

 

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Susan Kniep, fctopresident@aol.com

East Hartford Taxpayers Association

Subject:  Charter Revisions – Budget by Referendum 

Date:  August 28, 2004 

I received the following inquiry from a senior in Southington, which is typical of the concerns expressed by many who are undergoing Charter Revision and want the right to vote for their budget.  I will be sending you a separate email on the issue of Charter Reform as it relates to East Hartford.     I also want to thank Flo Stahl, President of the Avon Taxpayers Association who is assisting me in obtaining information as it relates to the interpretation of our State Statutes relating to municipal charters.  If you have an attorney within your group who would be willing to speak on this issue, please contact me, as Charter Reform will be an issue we will address at our October meeting.  Also,  I am requesting that you obtain for me a copy of your Charter and forward it to me at Susan Kniep, 50 Olde Roberts St, East Hartford, CT 06108.  I would like to have the various Charters available at our October meeting.  We will also do an assessment of the Charters and post relevant info on our website.  Thank you.  I will be communicating with Carmillia and have provided her email address if you wish to as well.   

What can I do about the fact that we can't vote for the budget in our town, Southington?  Carmillia Kimmel a tax poor Senior c_dkimmel@cox.net

 

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Roland Fisher, rolandfisher@comcast.net

East Hartford Taxpayers Association

Subject:  A Bumper Sticker Everyone Should Display

Date:  August 20, 2004 

 

Every one in the tax group should get a bumper sticker that reads " Not rich enough for a tax break". That was in the reminder this week;  good idea I think.   Roland

 

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Tina, tinamla@cox.net

East Windsor Resident

Subject:  Would Like to Become Involved in a Taxpayers Group in East Windsor and Questions Taxpayer Subsidies

Date:  July 19, 2004

 

Susan: I appreciate all your hard work !!!! Another tax issue on my mind is fairness, I know of people in this country from other countries and they have been here for 20 years and some never returned to their country of origin, but they never become citizens here, isn't that for tax reasons, I was told for example Canadians who live here pay less taxes, if this is true why is it allowed? And the issue of illegal aliens is incredible.It is amazing how much the American taxpayer subsidizes. Corporate welfare is wrong but too powerful afterall we are a dying economy and we need the jobs! Thanks Tina

 

 *****

 

 

Well so much for homeland security…..

 

Police: DMV employee ran fake ID ring
12:56 PM EDT,August 25, 2004
Associated Press

NORWALK, Conn. -- A Department of Motor Vehicles employee helped run a sophisticated operation to make drivers licenses for illegal immigrants and other ineligible drivers, police said. Channie Jamison, 31, of Norwalk, was arrested Wednesday on charges of forgery, receiving a bribe and conspiracy.  State Police arrested three other Connecticut residents and have a warrant for the arrest of a Florida man accused of assisting the operation.  "They made every effort to insulate themselves so it would be difficult to infiltrate them," said Sgt. J. Paul Vance, a spokesman for the State Police.  Police said the operation charged $1,500 to $3,000 for drivers licenses, which looked authentic because of Jamison's inside assistance.  "We have strengthened our audit procedures. We've strengthened our oversight," DMV spokesman Bill Seymour said. "No system is flawless."  Also charged in the case were: Jairo Torreblanca, 27, of East Haven; Alex Perez, 37, of Bridgeport; and Emmanuel Dodoo, 49, of Bridgeport.  Vance said investigators have contacted Florida authorities, who know the location of the fifth person wanted in the case.