Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

� As of January 1, 2010: 7,289 Connecticut Retirees are Receiving Pensions Between $50,000 and $259,000. -�� 4,989 Connecticut Teachers and Administrators are Receiving Pensions Between $50,000 and $183,000

� Learn More About Connecticut�s State Budget http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Connecticut_state_budget

Malloy tries to prepare public for budget deficit realities

By Keith M. Phaneuf� Jan 2, 2010 As a candidate, Malloy tried to preserve his options to make painful budget choices without unnecessarily reminding voters about them. Now, with his administration set to begin Wednesday, Malloy is working to prepare people for what's required to close a massive deficit. Continued at http://ctmirror.org/story/8852/malloy-now-faces-expectations-created-during-campaign

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The State of Connecticut�s Office of Legislative Research Produces Many Reports Some of Which You May Find of Interest

http://www.cga.ct.gov/olr/

Examples (click to access):

� State and Local Budget and Revenue

� STATE TAXATION OF TEACHERS� PENSIONS

� STATE MANDATES IMPOSED ON MUNICIPALITIES

� �State Employees

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Conn. agency recommends end to several tax credits
Boston Globe HARTFORD, Conn.�State economic development officials say some Connecticut tax credits and property tax abatements have a negative or limited impact and should be abolished.� A report by the Department of Economic and Community Development obtained Monday by The Associated Press recommends the elimination of several tax credit programs such as a property tax abatement for investments of at least $20 million intended to spur job creation in cities.

The report says state corporate tax credits have jumped 87 percent between 1995 and 2007, to nearly $109 million. Continued at http://www.boston.com/business/taxes/articles/2011/01/03/conn_agency_recommends_end_to_several_tax_credits/

Eyes on Connecticut as health care action shifts to states �By Michael Regan Jan 03, 2011 10:14am Even as Republicans in Congress try to undo federal health care reform, the action is shifting to the states, Sarah Kliff says at Politico--and Connecticut is one to watch. The SustiNet program could become a model for a state version of the so-called "public option," which was excluded from the federal reform bill. Under a proposal to be submitted to the General Assembly this month, the state would create a health insurance plan that would cover state employees and retirees, Medicaid and HUSKY recipients, and ultimately be sold to municipalities, nonprofits, small businesses and the public

http://www.ctmirror.org/blogs/editors-choice

SustiNet Board Finishes Its Work by Christine Stuart
Posted: Dec 29, 2010 9:32pm

Municipal Lobby Asks State To Protect Local Grants by Christine Stuart Jan 3, 2011 11:45am� The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities made clear Monday that cuts in municipal aid will simply shift the tax burden to local property taxpayers across the state. But with Malloy, a former president of the organization as governor, the group is optimistic that their message will resonate this year. http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php/archives/entry/municipal_lobby_hopes_for_the_best/

How to fix state pensions without a federal bailout -- The November election sent a message of no more bailouts. Yet many states could default on debts in 2012, forcing a crisis. What can be done now?By the Monitor's Editorial Board / December 29, 2010� Read the full report at http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2010/1229/How-to-fix-state-pensions-without-a-federal-bailout/(page)/2

County lawmakers say they want to return to 2008 spending levels. By Cathryn J. Prince | Jan 3, 2011 "The growth of state government is out of control, but some legislators have a love affair with government programs. In some cases we have managers of managers of managers," said state Rep. Jason Perillo, a Republican who represents part of Shelton in the 113th House District. "Eliminating programs and rolling back to 2008 spending levels is a no-brainer." Read complete article as it appeared in Darien.Patch at the following link:

http://darien.patch.com/articles/tough-economy-decisions-await-ct-lawmakers

Towns wary of a budget shell game By Keith M. Phaneuf� Jan 2, 2010 Connecticut's cities and towns made it clear Monday they're guarding against the traditional shell game state government has employed in past fiscal crises - shielding assistance in high profile programs while stripping funding from lesser ones. And this year's game has a new wrinkle, with more legislators open to the idea of letting municipalities levy new taxes. Continued at http://ctmirror.org/story/8857/towns-guarding-against-states-fiscal-shell-game

From The Hill - Poll: Tax hikes on rich the first step toward balancing budget� Michael O'Brien 01/03/11 07:24 AM ET Raising taxes on the rich beats out cuts to defense spending, Medicare and Social Security as U.S. adults' top preference on how to close the deficit, according to a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/135639-poll-tax-hikes-for-rich-should-be-first-step-toward-balancing-budget

Public Workers Facing Outrage as Budget Crises Grow (Michael Powell / New York Times) By MICHAEL POWELL� New York Times January 1, 2011

Across the nation, a rising irritation with public employee unions is palpable, as a wounded economy has blown gaping holes in state, city and town budgets, and revealed that some public pension funds dangle perilously close to bankruptcy. In California, New York, Michigan and New Jersey, states where public unions wield much power and the culture historically tends to be pro-labor, even longtime liberal political leaders have demanded concessions � wage freezes, benefit cuts and tougher work rules. Continued at

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/business/02showdown.html?_r=1

'Free' Lunches Are Killing Us With Their Cost (column - Thomas Sowell / Investor's Business Daily)� By THOMAS SOWELL Posted 12/28/2010 06:22 PM ETYou cannot have generous welfare state laws that let people retire on government pensions while they are in their 50s, in an era when most people live decades longer.

In the U.S., that kind of generosity exists mostly for members of state government employees' unions � which is why some states are running out of money, and why the Obama administration is bailing them out, in the name of "stimulus."

Once you buy the idea that the government should be a sort of year-around Santa Claus, you have bought the kinds of consequences that follow. Continued at http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/557990/201012281822/Free-Lunches-Are-Killing-Us-With-The-Cost.aspx

Should Nonprofits being paying taxes � some think so�.

Financial Health: Real property taxes By Jack Karns Jan 2011, Critics of this real property tax exemption contend that nonprofits rely on local utilities and should pay their fair share of what it costs the community to provide them.� Churches, nonprofit hospitals, and other nonprofits benefit from the real property tax exemption and finally local and county governments are taking action to either deny nonprofit status or require that payments in lieu of taxes be paid to cover the cost of the nonprofit entity's share of local real property taxes. http://www.reflector.com/business/financial-health-real-property-taxes-228663

As Local and State Governments Go Broke, Public Employee Unions Must Share the Pain (editorial - Washington Examiner) By: Examiner Editorial 12/28/10 8:05 PM One need look no further than two Michigan officials -- William Cooper, the city manager of Hamtramck, and Tom White, associate director for labor relations of the Michigan Association of School Boards -- to grasp the seriousness of the financial crisis exploding across this country. Cooper told the New York Times that his city government "maybe" can pay its bills through March 1. Hamtramck has already cut what it could from its budget, reducing spending for parks, senior centers and road maintenance. Now city leaders say their only remaining option is to file a municipal bankruptcy. http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/2010/12/governments-go-broke-public-employee-unions-must-share-pain

The One State Budget Crisis No One's Talking About� Jan 3, 2010 Joe Weisenthal and Gus Lubin You know the story and you know the names: states like Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and California are supposed to be in huge financial trouble thanks to bloated governments, business-unfriendly regulations, and strong public sector unions. After a crisis-free 2010, investors are expected to punish these hotbeds of bad governance in a muni bond market rout, at least if pundits like Meredith Whitney are correct. But there's one state, which is fairly high up on the list of troubled states that nobody is talking about, and there's a reason for it.

The state is Texas. Continued at

http://www.businessinsider.com/texas-state-budget-crisis-2011-1#