Connecticut state unions to American taxpayers: More money please

File this under the heading “Big Cashews”. The state unions joined with their favorite liberal Democrat (I know, redundant these days) … not just asking Connecticut taxpayers but taxpayers nationwide, to cough up more cash for state workers … all in the name of economic stimulus. They even released a report with a title that says it all. God help us.

“Putting Connecticut Back to Work: How Investment in Public Services will Save Jobs and Grow the Economy” and discussed the critical importance of investments in public services as part of the jobs bill currently being debated in Washington.

John Olsen, who I know, and head of the state AFL-CIO, couldn’t have put it any better than myself. Actually, I have been warning all of you this was coming. Emphasis mine.

“Our state and local governments are in crisis and need assistance until people are back working and paying taxes. Without additional funding, our public safety, our health needs, our children’s education and our state’s ability to retain and attract new businesses will suffer”, said John Olsen, President CT AFL-CIO,

John needs to stop making my point for me. So let’s see. Connecticut has over promised, over spent and now it needs another bailout because they have spent it all which is perfectly predictable. Spending money on state jobs is dead end spending. The state makes nothing, and thus creates no capital and thus is NOT self sufficient. It needs the private sector for it’s survival. And so its only solution is to beg for more private sector cash.

But I digress … here’s the money quote from the press release.

State Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney said: “There is a way forward, and it’s a win-win policy that provides critical investment in state and local governments while at the same time stimulates job creation and economic growth in one of the most effective ways possible: insert federal assistance directly into the state programs that have been struggling.  The return is direct and immediate.”

Where do I begin. Not even in your dreams is propping up state salaries an investment. It maintains  but it is not an investment. Spending on state programs creates no jobs in the private sector and stimulates nothing because as we have seem, it is dead end spending and I can assure you, this group will be asking for more of your money next year.

If the first round created nothing, what makes any one think another will. It is a stop gap to save state workers from the carnage the private sector has been experiencing. There is just one problem. There is no more money; not in Connecticut, not in Washington. And I find it difficult to believe that taxpayers in other states want to bail out state workers in Connecticut.

There is only one way out. Cut tax rates for all residents, cut taxes for business, cut expansive mandates on businesses that hinder business expansion. In short make it easier to do business by getting out of the way of the companies and the people who work for them.

GM showed us what happens when institutions promise more than they can deliver. Bankrupt!

I have added the entire press release here:

***PRESS RELEASE***

SAL LUCIANO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AFSCME COUNCIL 4 AND JOHN OLSEN, PRESIDENT CT AFL-CIO AND MARK WAXENBERG CT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RELEASE REPORT HIGHLIGHTING CRITICAL PUBLIC SERVICE NEEDS IN CONNECTICUT

 

Hartford, Connecticut — Sal Luciano, Executive Director AFSCME Council4, John Olsen, President CT AFL-CIO and Mark Waxenberg, Director of Government Relations, for the CT Education Association held a press conference today to release the report, “Putting Connecticut Back to Work: How Investment in Public Services will Save Jobs and Grow the Economy” and discussed the critical importance of investments in public services as part of the jobs bill currently being debated in Washington.  The group was joined at the event by State Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney, State House of Representatives Majority Leader Denise Merrill and other local and state elected officials.  Attached is a copy of the report.

“The truth is that this recession is far deeper than anyone imagined.  And the aid provided by the Stimulus Bill will end soon—leaving states no choice but to continue cutting away at the services that provide foundation for local economies,” Mark Waxenberg, Director of Government Relations, for the CT Education Association said today.  “It’s been calculated that Connecticut’s shortfall for the fiscal year ending this summer will total hundreds of millions of dollars.  Economists say that unless we do something to help state and local governments address their shortfalls, thousands of Connecticut residents will lose their jobs this year, and more than three million in both the public and private sectors across America will be out of work by 2012.”

“Our state and local governments are in crisis and need assistance until people are back working and paying taxes.  Without additional funding, our public safety, our health needs, our children’s education and our state’s ability to retain and attract new businesses will suffer”, said John Olsen, President CT AFL-CIO

“Who would want to live in a place with dirty streets, high crime and poor schools?  It’s clear that further cuts only result in further damage to local communities and more job losses, said Sal Luciano, Executive Director AFSCME Council 4.

State Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney said: “There is a way forward, and it’s a win-win policy that provides critical investment in state and local governments while at the same time stimulates job creation and economic growth in one of the most effective ways possible: insert federal assistance directly into the state programs that have been struggling.  The return is direct and immediate.”

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