From: Susan Kniep, President
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc. (FCTO)
Website: http://ctact.org/
email: fctopresident@aol.com
860-524-6501
April 1, 2007
On March 22, FCTO Hosted Tax Day At The
Capitol to Promote Proposition 2 ½ to Control Municipal Spending
On March 29, Governor Rell Proposed
Proposition 3
It’s
apparent that Governor Rell wants to reverse the Tax
and Spend Philosophy of the Legislature and to Mend the Tax in the interest of
Connecticut Property Owners who now pay the second highest property taxes in
the nation!
BRAVO, GOVERNOR RELL!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!! FCTO’s March 22, 2007 Tax Day at the Capitol was a great
success! State Rep O’Neill of Southbury
spoke on Proposition 2 ½ to control municipal spending, Senator Lou DeLuca, pictured below, gave a presentation on the negative
effects of binding arbitration on municipal budgets, and the Federation kicked
off its campaign to bring union contracts out from behind the closed doors of
secrecy and into the light of public debate.
Days later, Governor Rell came forward with
Proposition 3. As the Democrat leaders
on the Hill in Hartford
say no, taxpayers who are going bankrupt from excessive property taxes are
saying yes, yes, yes to Proposition 3.
However, the success of Proposition 3 requires reforms to State Binding
Arbitration laws. This is something the
Democrats in the legislature refuse to do.
Therefore, FCTO will turn our attention to the 169 towns and cities
within Connecticut
where we will work to end the secrecy surrounding municipal union contracts,
with a proposal as outlined below.
I want to take this opportunity to thank two very special
women who were responsible for the success of Tax Day. They are Theresa McGrath and Judy Aron of the West Hartford
Taxpayers Association! These ladies
worked tirelessly on making the day both enjoyable and informative for
all. Theresa McGrath has been a crusader
for Proposition 2 1/2 as was acknowledged recently by the Hartford Advocate.
Please click on the
following heading for the full report on Tax Day by Judy Aron,
Public Relations, FCTO.
Also Read the Hartford
Courant article on Governor Rell’s Proposal, and
http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-cap0329.artmar29,0,6768691.story
The April 1 article by the Record Journal of Meriden with
comments by FCTO President Susan Kniep and FCTO Board
Member Sandra Feld http://www.myrecordjournal.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=18155436&BRD=2755&PAG=461&dept_id=592754&rfi=8
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FCTO’S PLAN
TO BRING UNION CONTRACTS OUT FROM
BEHIND THE
CLOSED DOORS OF SECRECY
Twice a year taxpayers receive a bill for something many are
unfamiliar with. They have to pay this
bill. If they are unable to pay, their
town officials will ultimately take their homes from them. The bill is called a property tax bill. The tax bill holds many secrets. The secrets are the wages, the healthcare,
the pensions, and changes in working conditions and other associated costs of
union contracts. The secrets are between
the unions and town officials. Sometimes
arbitrators know the secrets. The
secrets are revealed after all the members of the unions learn the secrets,
vote on the secrets, the contracts are signed and the bill for those secrets is
sent to taxpayers.
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
wants to end the secrecy surrounding union contracts for which taxpayers pay between 75% to 85% of their property taxes. In addition, taxpayers deserve a full
accounting of the costs associated with each contract and the right to express
their position on contracts prior to their implementation.
As such, the Federation is beginning a campaign to encourage
local officials in the 169 towns throughout Connecticut to incorporate the following
within their Town Charters and/or Town Ordinances:
- PUBLIC NEGOTIATIONS: Negotiations of Union Contracts would be
conducted in full public view with dates of negotiations placed on file with
the Town Clerk’s office.
- FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING: A full financial accounting of the terms
of the contract would be provided to the citizens of the municipality
through the town clerk’s office and on a town’s website. A delineation of costs would include
salaries, healthcare, pensions, and costs associated with any and all
changes in working conditions.
- PUBLIC HEARING: A public hearing would be required to be
held by the municipality on the contract allowing for public input.
- If the contract was subject to
arbitration, the municipality would be required to
- Adhere to Item 1 prior to
arbitration,
- Provide a full Financial Accounting of the Contract as stipulated to in Item 2
which would reflect the decisions of the arbitrators.
- Hold a Public Hearing on the
contract, reflecting the terms set by the arbitrators.
Taxpayers can no longer wait patiently for their State
elected officials to reform State Binding Arbitration Laws to protect them from
the increasing costs associated with union contracts. Local elected officials can no longer
continue to burden taxpayers with steady property tax increases driven by union
contracts which are forcing some taxpayers to lose their most prized
possession, their homes.
The secrecy surrounding union contracts must end. Union contracts are funded by public
dollars. The public is entitled to
become part of the equation.
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THE BEST AND WORST STATES
FOR TAXES: We pay Uncle Sam the same no matter
where we live, but property, gasoline, tobacco, sales and state income taxes
are all over the map. By Scott McCredie
- Click the following to read the
complete article: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/Advice/TheBestAndWorstStatesForTaxes.aspx?page=all
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