Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

The Wyoming Supreme Court tossed out a 1992 voter-enacted state ballot initiative limiting legislators' terms. The initiative had passed with 77% of the vote, and State Attorney General Pat Crank argued on the basis of the Wyoming Constitution reserving rights and powers to state citizens. Wyoming's Supremes declared the people have no such rights, but that term limits can be approved only by a vote of -- you guessed it -- those same legislators, by way of a state constitutional amendment. (Two-thirds of both house chambers would have to agree before the measure could get back to the people.) Attorney General Crank ought to have relied more heavily on the U.S. Constitution's Tenth Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."� As Wyoming's legislature is not the state, and Wyoming's Supreme Court is not the state, surely the Tenth Amendment ensures that the people, by state-ballot initiative, may properly determine terms of� Service for their representatives.� Either that or the amendment is meaningless.

�� ****

Tom Durso,�� TDurso8217@aol.com

Oakville-Waterville Taxpayers Association

Subject:� Contract With Connecticut

May 20, 2004

Connecticut's comotose Republican party has a golden opportunity for revival running up to the 2004 legislative elections by emulating the national GOP's Contract With America. Recall Newt Gingrich's covenant which promised the voters a number of Congressional actions if they would throw out the forty year encrusted Democrat House majority. The people accepted the deal , the Republicans took control of Congress in January of 1995 and the stock market rocketed up.� If per chance anyone in the GOP state hierarchy reads the state's local newspapers they will notice a roaring taxpayer movement knocking down budgets and screaming for binding arbitration repeal to get back their towns and cities. This lonely Republican sage may also notice that the state's drivers are thoroughly fed up with the useless emissions testing system which is nothing more than a dressed up tax; not to mention the newly enacted California -style air quality standards designed to make driving even more expensive.� Prior to 1994's tidal wave, the national Republican Congressional leadership under Rep. Bob Michel was content with the scraps the Democrats threw them every now and then. If Michel could get a bridge or park named after some colleague or supporter the "Stupid Party" would call that a triumph. Meanwhile House Speakers Tom Foley , Jim Wright or Thomas "Tip" O'Neill shoveled tax dollars to the teachers union. Finally, a rebelious Gingrich galvanized a core of conservative Members who started a wave which rolled across the country, except for the effete Northeast of course.

Rep. Sean Williams, R-Watertown, recently mentioned the idea of a "Contract With Connecticut" which would guarantee legislative action in the areas which seem to be relegating the state to banana republic status. The repeal of binding arbitration--enforced, command and control municipal wage rates-- would be Job One should the GOP win the legislature. Judging by the anger displayed by Thomaston taxpayers during their budget meeting on May 19, voters across the state would race to the polls to elect legislators who would liberate their local budgets from friendly, good old boy , inside arbiter-enforcers. Thomaston's Board of Finance members kept returning to the tired excuse of state mandates on wages and programs which "tie our hands" and force them to clip the town's taxpayers each year. State mandates are not handed down from The Mountain ; they are not the Ten Commandments and can be wiped off the books with the right legislature in place in Fenbruary 2005.�

Susan Kniep's Federation of Connecticut Taxpayers Organizations (FCTO) could be a vital link to any breathing Republican who knows what's good for the state's private sector wealth producers. During the term limits debate ten years ago, limits supporters issued pledge requests to all Congressional candidates� which asked them to vote for term limits if elected. Many signed the pledges and were elected and in fact as he promised,Speaker Gingrich put up four term limits proposals for a House vote in 1995. FCTO should do the same with this year's legislative candidates on the issue of binding arbitration. How many candidates will defend binding arbitration to enraged local property taxpayers? The spending and mandates problem is rooted in Hartford, out of the sight of taxpayers until election season when legislative candidates return to tell us all the good they have done for us.� Rep. Williams' idea of a Contract With Connecticut is brilliant and hits the bulls eye. The high taxes and onerous regulations which taxpayers find so offensive must be dealt with at the state level; power must be returned to local taxpayers where we can best watch our money. "Property Tax Reform" or the further centralization of tax and spending decisions is repugnant to local taxpayers and an insult to our intelligence. No wonder why the fading Connecticut Conference of Municipalities loses members over this issue. Our Watertown Oakville Taxpayers Association and all other taxpayer groups should jump at Rep. Williams' Contract With Connecticut concept. However the big question remains , will the state Republican leadership play the losing Bob Michel or winning Newt Gingrich role?�� Thomas P. Durso,� former Councilmember, finance subcommittee, Chairman Watertown Police Commission

�� ***

Nick Mullane, RRoohr@town-northstonington.com

North Stonington

Subject:� North Stonington Budget

May 14, 2004

FYI North Stonington passed our budget on May 10, 2004, by a 3-1 margin, also

mill rate was set on May 12, 2004 at 29.5, not 29.75 as discussed at our Public

Hearing. That's for the info, it is very helpful. Nick Mullane

�� ****

Fred Standt, FStndt@aol.com

Brookfield Taxpayers Association

Subject:� Brookfield's Board Of Finance Again Cuts Town Budget

May 30, 2004

Under the leadership of Ernie Nepomuceno, the Board of Finance Thursday evening reduced Brookfield's proposed budget by $400,000 or 9/10ths of one percent. In another example of questionable mathematics, the board declared the $400,000 cut from the almost $44 million budget to be a full 1% reduction. At the onset of the meeting, Mr. Nepomuceno was firm about his desire to see the $400,000 cut and his statement of this intent drew audible gasps from some board members. Only Scott O'Reilly was prepared to cut more, perhaps as much as $600,000 or almost 1.4% of the total budget. Perhaps what drew the most reaction from board members was Mr. Nepomuceno's insistance that the Board of Education budget take the lion's share of the cut this go round. Relating what he had heard from local constituents, Mr. Nepomuceno stated that the Board of Education's side of the budget had not been cut enough at the board's last meeting and $300,000 of the $400,000 cut had to come from the Board of Education. Several board members disagreed, most notably Bill Tinsley and Rick Martino, who were in favor of completely gutting the town's road repair budget, leaving only the road bond payment, in order to spare the Board of Education. Mr. Tinsley also insisted that the town's revenue estimates were grossly understated and was in favor of lowering taxes by raising the revenue estimates, a move that would have spared the Board of Education's budget. However, most other board members were uncomfortable with raising revenue estimates while simultaneously withdrawing from the town's fund balance, effectively burning the town's candle from both ends and Tinsley's suggestion was not taken seriously. George Walker agreed that the feedback he had received from townspeople was that the Board of Education's budget had not been trimmed enough. In particular, George felt that teachers' salary increases, 4% base and a hefty 7% including increases in benefits, was far out of line with the average resident. Oddly enough, when presented with a request to trim money from the town's almost $14.4 million budget, First Selectman Jerry Murphy drew a complete blank and could not contribute a single dime. Upon prompting by Mr. Nepomuceno that a new position in the town Land Use office could not be filled by July 1st, Mr. Murphy grudgingly gave up a fraction of that salaried position, money he could not possibly have spent in any regard. The final cuts, as approved by the Board of Finance, are as follows:� $87,000 cut from the town's road repair budget, leaving approximately $300,000 for road repairs and $200,000 to pay the road bond.
$13,000 unused salary allotment for the Land Use position.�� $300,000 cut to the Board of Education's budget, resulting in a total increase over the current year's budget of $1.1 million.� The resulting budget for next year is as follows:
$14,271,802 for the town budget.
$29,280,567 for the Board of Education's budget.
$43,552,369 total budget.
Finally, the Board of Finance mysteriously anticipates that the 9/10ths of one percent decrease in spending will further lower the tax increase by approximately 1.2% resulting in a tax increase of 3.4%. Here at BrookfieldFYI we're still waiting for Bob Belden to explain that math.

�� ****