Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

Tiny amounts of radiation traced to the nuclear plant crisis in Japan have been detected in at least 15 states (in blue) At least 15 states have found trace amounts of radiation from the crippled nuclear plant in Japan, but officials say the levels of radioactivity are much too low to prompt health concerns.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2011-03-28-radiation-usa_N.htm?csp=hf

Japan radiation in U.S., not health concern: EPA http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42310841

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Malloy Takes Budget Message To �Morning Joe�

by Christine Stuart, CTNewsJunkie,
Posted: Mar 29, 2011 12:02pm

http://ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php

TODAY, MARCH 30, GOV. MALLOY TOWN HALL MEETING

IN WINDHAM FROM 7 TO 8 PM

Windham Middle School� Auditorium, 123 Quarry Street

Gov. Malloy Town Hall Meeting Schedule�� http://www.ct.gov/malloy/townhalls

� Groton lawmaker pushing tax disclosure bill March 29, 2011 By Keith M. Phaneuf� Journal Inquirer�� With hundreds of millions of dollars worth state tax credits and exemptions on the books, a Groton lawmaker says Connecticut should disclose which specific businesses enjoy tax breaks, and how much in savings each one receives. http://www.ctmirror.org/story/11999/battle-brewing-over-tax-disclosure-bill

� UCONN�s Two Top Police Officials Paid $246,961 and $193,616 last year� University of Connecticut Board of Trustees' to study soaring salaries of UConn administrators.��

http://articles.courant.com/2011-03-25/news/hc-ed-uconn-salaries-study-20110325_1_uconn-president-top-uconn-officials-chief-robert-hudd

� Tax Time? Not for Big Profitable Corporations ... http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=4FFDC95C-A90C-4704-A5E8-90146E826CDA

� General Electric�s American Tax Bill: NONE!!!! Its extraordinary success is based on an aggressive strategy that mixes fierce lobbying for tax breaks and innovative accounting that enables it to concentrate its profits offshore. G.E.�s Strategies Let It Avoid Taxes Altogether� By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI NY Times, March 24, 2011 General Electric, the nation�s largest corporation, had a very good year in 2010. The company reported worldwide profits of $14.2 billion, and said $5.1 billion of the total came from its operations in the United States. Its American tax bill? None. In fact, G.E. claimed a tax benefit of $3.2 billion.� http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html?src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

� Senior Federal Workers Told to Give Up Pay Raises From Last Year Despite the Obama administration's call for a two-year pay freeze, much of the federal civilian will still be eligible for a type of raise known as a step increase. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/28/senior-federal-workers-told-pay-raises-year/

� IRS Targets Family Real Estate Transfers
Forbes (blog)�� March 24, 2011

� Oil Companies That Gave 'Bonuses' to Libya Also Lobbied Against Disclosure Rules by Marian Wang | @mariancw� Oil companies have lobbied against a provision in the financial reform bill that would expose payments to foreign governments such as the 'signing bonuses' given to Libya. http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/oil-companies-that-gave-bonuses-to-libya-Als-lobbied-against-disclosure-ru

� Fundraiser's Scandal Reveals Deep Corruption of NPR Forbes Amity Shlaes, 03.23.11, 06:00 PM EDT� Forbes Magazine dated April 11, 2011 http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0411/opinions-amity-shlaes-current-events-deep-npr-corruption.html

� Bill to allow towns to cut school spending advances

� Mayor prepared to release report critical of city's urban redevelopment agency Stamford Advocate - Mayor Michael Pavia has said he will release a report on the city's Urban Redevelopment Commission in the coming days to the Board of Representatives. The report, which was prepared by the mayor's governance task force, is expected to make a case for dismantling the 57-year-old independent agency that was created as part of urban renewal. http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Mayor-prepared-to-release-report-critical-of-1309993.php

� As Mideast Lashes Out Against Corruption, Chamber of Commerce Lobbies to Weaken Anti-Corruption Law by Marian Wang | @mariancw� ProPublica March 24, 2011� http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/as-mideast-lashes-out-against-corruption-chamber-of-commerce-lobbies-to-wea

� THE FEDERATION ASKS: IS THE OFFICE OF STATE ETHICS, ETHICALLY CHALLENGED?� The Federation thanks Dennis Riley, a member of the state's Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board, who is going to pursue how a recently appointed $144,789 Top State Auditor May Moonlight In Real Estate Read on�.. http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-lender-column-auditor-moonlighting20110327,0,3068806.column

� STATE OF CT LABOR CONTRACTS http://www.ct.gov/opm/cwp/view.asp?a=2992&q=383228&opmNav_GID=1792

� Last-ditch hearing looms over Wis. union law� Legislation removes most public employees' collective bargaining rights and requires them to pay more for their health insurance, pensions http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42317083/ns/politics-more_politics/

� WISCONSIN: The Budget Adjustment Bill, also known as the Budget Repair Bill, which contains provisions related to collective bargaining for state and local employees, is a separate proposal introduced as part of the January 2011 Special Session. The text is contained in Special Session Assembly Bill 11 and Special Session Senate Bill 11. http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/budget/index.htm

� WASHINGTON: With a Shutdown Looming, Budget Bickering Intensifies By Alex Altman http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2011/03/28/with-a-shutdown-looming-budget-bickering-intensifies/

� Time Magazine: Wall Street: Aiding Economic Recovery, or Strangling It? By Rana Foroohar Monday, Apr. 04, 2011 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2061220,00.html

� Malloy Hoping To Avoid Layoffs And Big Cuts That Would Be "Nasty And Ugly'' - Hoping For Budget Deal In Early May; Larry Cafero On Unions: "It's The Reverse Of Captive Audience''� http://blogs.courant.com/capitol_watch/2011/03/malloy-hoping-to-avoid-layoffs.html

� Cuomo, lawmakers reach New York State budget deal, agreeing on 2% cut in spending and no new taxes March 27, 2011 BY KENNETH LOVETT AND GLENN BLAIN ALBANY - Gov. Cuomo and lawmakers announced agreement Sunday on a $132.5 billion spending plan, clearing the way for the state's first on-time budget since 2006. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/03/27/2011-03-27_cuomo_lawmakers_reach_new_york_state_budget_deal_agreeing_on_2_cut_in_spending_a.html

� Home prices still falling across USA http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2011-03-29-case-shiller-home-prices.htm?loc=interstitialskip

� Supreme Court campaign finance case has implications for Connecticut� By Deirdre Shesgreen on March 28, 2011 WASHINGTON--Connecticut's public campaign financing program will be on trial--indirectly, anyway--before the U.S. Supreme Court today, when the justices will hear oral arguments in an Arizona case to determine whether supplemental grants, triggered by an opponent's spending are constitutional. Read more http://www.ctmirror.org/story/11992/sccampfinance

� Michigan cuts jobless benefits http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/29/news/economy/michigan_jobless_benefits/index.htm?hpt=T2

� Moody Defends Shredding by Ken Dixon Mar 28, 2011, Gov. M. Jodi Rell's Chief of Staff M. Lisa Moody defends shredding documents prior to transition. http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Rell-Malloy-camps-spar-over-shredded-records-1308858.php

� IRS cracks down on millionaires http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/29/pf/taxes/irs_audits_millionaires/index.htm?iid=RNM

� Greenwich tells Malloy it already pays too much of Connecticut's tab http://www.ctmirror.org/story/12019/greenwich-tells-malloy-it-already-pa...

� As teacher layoff notices go out, no change in seniority rules http://www.ctmirror.org/story/12013/teacher-layoff-notices-begin-status-...

� Illegal Immigrants Arrested in Uniform March 23, 2011 AP http://www.military.com/news/article/illegal-immigrants-arrested-in-uniform.html

� U.S. Has Earth�s Largest Energy Resources
http://www.energytribune.com/articles.cfm/6933/US-Has-Earths-Largest-Energy-Resources

� In 2010, US Added 600,000 Millionaires While 5,000,000 People Were Added to the Food Stamp Program
Read the Article at My Budget 360