Posted on 05/09/2010 7:11:59 AM PDT by raybbr
While Connecticut's population has been virtually stagnant for the past four decades, the cost of state government has nearly quadrupled.
The ability of taxpayers to pay for it has not.
As the gap between Connecticut's public and private sectors continues to widen, the Great Recession has brought this reality into stark relief. Even though the state faces a projected budget deficit of $3.8 billion by 2012, the state work force remains largely intact, secure and well paid, while employment and compensation in business and industry have declined precipitously.
Personnel costs basically are off limits when cutting the state budget, protected by union contracts and strong political muscle.
The state work force has dropped 4 percent since the recession took hold in late 2008, with early departures rewarded with retirement incentives. Meanwhile, the private work force has lost more than 100,000 jobs, or about 8 percent of its total, and only one in six workers received retirement benefits, according to statewide estimates.
The average annual salary of a state employee in 2009 was $65,830, 37 percent higher than the average in Connecticut's civilian sector, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports as $47,739.
Union leaders argue the private sector should devote its energy to achieving its own level of security and compensation, instead of trying to deprive state workers.
"Even if you laid off everyone (in state employment), it still wouldn't take care of the deficit, and you wouldn't have anyone left to serve the public," contends Eric Bailey, communication director for one of Connecticut's biggest unions, AFT, which represents nearly 20 percent of state employees.
(Excerpt) Read more at rep-am.com ...
Eric Bailey lies of course:
Five point one seven billion dollars would cover the deficit nicely.
How your tax dollars are spent in CT....
Sounds like Greece. The only long term solution is to default and make public sector unions illegal...
Unfortunately, it’s here that the Republicans have joined forces with the Democrats to be the “party of government. “ Although Reagan’s decertifying the air traffic controllers was a good start, just think what could have been accomplished if he’d carried through with eliminatinfg the Dept of Education. I wonder whether Hinckley’s bullet took so much out of him that he couldn’t fight that battle.
You are correct. Default is the only answer. Let’s roll.
A phony strawman. Those employees are administering state programs that could also be cut. If you cut programs, you wouldn't need as many state employees.
"....so don't lay anyone off!" contends Eric Bailey, communication director for one of Connecticut's biggest unions, AFT, which represents nearly 20 percent of state employees who think the public is there to serve them.
I wonder how many of the programs are looking out after the interests of the state workers.
Classic example of how a parasitical government can kill off the host.
CT and CA will follow Greece and Spain.
It was the deals with the Demonrats that allowed him to fund the military and destroy the CCCP. It came at a cost of increased social spending.
Would it be too simple to start with a 10% cut to everyone, and I mean everyone, who has a regular job with the government? Or even 10% of the jobs cuz then you’d only PO 10% of the government piggies instead of 100%.
You need to cut programs and the jobs will follow.
Government workers have become a bunch a of leeching parasitic bloodsuckers that will eventually destroy not only CT but the country. They are lazy overpaid and mostly useless. When it snows in DC and several hundred thousand non-essential employees stay home, why not take the opportunity to let them all say home permanently.
It is likely true that most other states, especially liberal ones, as well as the federal government, face similar circumstances. They have huge deficits and a public work force that is overpaid and outsized relative to the private sector. A sizable percentage of the population is also dependent on government largess. The ability of the private sector to continue to fund the public sector no longer exists, the golden goose is dead. We all know these truths are undeniable.
These people will not go easily, they are on the gravy train and they know it. The politicians have no or little incentive to change, particularly at the federal level and those states with high demo concentrations like the northeast, Illinois and Cali. Welcome to Greece. As presently constituted, the system has subjected our children to debt slavery.
The real question is where does this end? Yes, financial calamity is obvious, who knows what form, does it really matter? The real question is what world do we leave to our children? Those who are owed the unpayable amounts will not be happy when they are stiffed. Those owing the unpayable amounts will not pay, they know this is not of their doing.
For this not end up in a major war and incalculable human suffering will take a miracle. It is the work of satan himself.
schu
I live in Ct.
Hangs head in shame.
Sounds like a good bet.
I lived in Ct.
No longer have to hang my head in shame.
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