From:  Susan Kniep,  President
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Website:  http://ctact.org/
email:  fctopresident@ctact.org or fctopresident@aol.com

860-841-8032

May 3, 2006

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

Today, The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc. (FCTO)  released a proposed Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights (TABOR) for Connecticut. 

 

Through the TABOR our goal is to

·         limit government spending which is, in turn, driving up local property taxes

·         prevent government from seizing our homes for private development purposes

·         end the incessant corruption in our state and local governments 

 

FCTO will encourage the adoption of the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights and supporting legislation through a Constitutional Convention. 

 

Connecticut is distinguished as the highest taxed state in the nation with the highest bonded debt per capita.  Millions of tax dollars are being written off as uncollectible as they are referred to the State’s suspense list.  Corruption has been running rampant throughout our State and towns as the State legislature refuses to enact substantive state ethics laws.   As State’s throughout our country are adopting Eminent Domain laws to protect their constituents, Connecticut’s State legislature refuses to implement laws to prevent municipalities from taking our homes or businesses and transferring them to private developers for financial gain.   It is therefore the belief of FCTO that only through the proposed TABOR   can the interests of Connecticut taxpayers, citizens and property owners be secured.   

 

During the next several months, we will attempt to determine who, within the State legislature, will support the TABOR, and post our findings on our website. 

 

We encourage all State taxpayers to join with us as we develop proposed legislation to support the TABOR.  We encourage businesses who are struggling with increased state taxes and local property taxes to also join with us as we look to reform State mandates which are the catalyst driving up our property taxes. 

 

FCTO believes that ultimately the TABOR will secure within our State government the intent of our forefathers which was a government of, for and by the people of Connecticut! 

 

 

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CONNECTICUT TAXPAYERS’ BILL OF RIGHTS (TABOR)

 

As Proposed by

 

The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.

 

 

 

 

Whereas, Connecticut taxpayers are burdened with the highest taxes and highest bonded debt per capita in the nation, and

 

Whereas, local property taxes have dramatically increased due to State mandates, and

 

Whereas, State eminent domain laws allow municipalities to take the homes and businesses of Connecticut property owners and give them to private developers for financial gain, and

 

Whereas,  the governments of the United States of America and the state of Connecticut were founded on two central principles, a system of separation of powers and checks and balances, and

 

Whereas, representative democracy can only function responsibly and accountably when elected and appointed public officials fulfill their duties in an ethical and honest manner, and

 

Whereas, in recent years a number of municipal and state officials in the state of Connecticut have betrayed their public trust with dishonorable conduct, and

 

Whereas, the ultimate responsibility for good and honest government rests with the people as the electorate, and

 

Whereas, the interest by the people for access to an expansion of civil rights has been limited and restricted by state and municipal statutes and their elected and appointed public officials,

 

Therefore, the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations proposes that the legislature of the State of Connecticut enact a Citizen Taxpayer Bill of Rights which shall include the following:

 

1.      An expanded and inclusive citizen right to petition and referendum;

2.   Allow all taxpayers within the 169 Connecticut towns the right to vote on their budgets and in turn establish their property taxes; 

3.      Citizen authority to recall elected and appointed officials through a referendum;  

4.      Non-partisan municipal elections;

5.      Term limits for elected and appointed municipal and state officials;

6.      A precise and specific code of ethics which clearly defines unethical conduct and conflicts of interest applicable to all elected and appointed state and municipal officials and public sector employees;

7.      Immediate removal from public office of an elected or appointed municipal or state official, with the loss of the applicable public pension, when convicted of a felony committed while exercising the authority of his/her public office;

8.      Revising municipal and state statutes that will establish tax and bonding caps, based on an index that is founded on the citizens’ and community’s ability to pay;

9.     Establish criteria limiting spending and taxation by local and state governments;

10.  Revaluation Reform;

11. Reform State Mandates to provide local governments with the tools necessary to manage their expenses and personnel;

12.  Protection of private property rights from government seizure for private economic development purposes. 

 

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