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The Hill: Lew sets early March debt hike deadline

 

If you wish to be added to our the Federation’s email list, please write to fctopresident@aol.com.    Thank you.

 

 

 

 

Federal Judge Upholds New York Gun Curbs - WSJ.com

 

A federal judge in Buffalo on Tuesday upheld most of New York's 2013 gun-control law as constitutional, handing a victory to gun-control advocates and to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who signed the bill into law last January. In a 54-page ruling, U.S. Judge William M. Skretny ruled that several key provisions of New York's so-called SAFE Act didn't run afoul of the right to bear arms, as outlined in the Second Amendment. Judge Skretny upheld an expanded ban on semiautomatic weapons, which includes some popular models like the AR-15, as well as a ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.   Continue reading at ……. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304361604579292810694517646

 

 

January 1, 2014

 

 

From:  The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations
Contact:  Susan Kniep, President
Website: http://ctact.org/
Email: fctopresident@aol.com
Telephone: 860-841-8032

 

STATE DEFICITS!  HIGH SIX FIGURE PENSIONS! 

HIGH  SIX AND SEVEN FIGURE SALARIES! 

HIGH PROPERTY TAXES! 

 

BROKE TAXPAYERS!  

 

 

As we leave 2013 behind, we carry into 2014 much of the State’s debt, deficits and unsustainable pensions and salaries as many taxpayers remain unemployed or underemployed while burdened with high state and local property taxes. 

 

In November, 2013,  it was reported the State of Connecticut’s Nonpartisan analysts: $1 billion deficit awaits winner of CT's ... gubernatorial election  and  Getting Connecticut's books in order requires half a billion in state bonds

 

With many Connecticut workers unemployed or underemployed as noted within CT jobless rate: near 11% had 60,000 not left workforce, in December, we learned some Connecticut employees just can’t get enough as one State Retiree Wants a Pension of $367,000 as noted within the article Six-Figure State University Retiree Wants More - Collections and it appears the State Board is Considering the Pension Request from David Carter. 

 

Mr. Carter’s name had surfaced in 2009 in the article captioned Rell asks CSU to reduce raises for chancellor and ... - The CT Mirror .  The article noted that “Gov. M. Jodi Rell asked Connecticut State University officials Friday to reduce pay raises granted this month to top managers, calling the raises "excessive" and "intolerable" in light of the state’s fiscal crisis”.  “The governor took the action a day after the Mirror disclosed that raises, some as large as 10 percent, had been granted to non-union managers, including high-ranking officials such as Chancellor David G. Carter and the presidents of CSU's four campuses.” 

 

We also learned UConn officials get raises, many topping $10,000 | The CT Mirror  noting:  Warde Manuel, the university's athletic director, saw his salary jump by $22,500, which brought his annual pay to $472,500.   John Elliott, the dean of the business school, got a $17,550 raise, which brought his salary to $407,550.

 

In April we learned CT News Junkie | $18.3M In Longevity Payments Go To State Employees... noting: This week, 29,789 state employees who have worked for the state for more than a decade will each be rewarded with a “longevity” bonus in their paycheck.  An estimated $12.2 million will go to 26,553 union employees, and about $6.2 million will go to 3,236 non-union employees and political appointees. The average payment for union employees is about $458 and the average payment for non-union employees is about $1,913, according to information provided by the state comptroller’s office.

 

 

This is on top of the 9% wage increase over 3 years State employee unions received along with a no layoff clause as Governor Malloy Raised $1.5 Billion in New Taxes.

 

 

And we even made the national news publication – Forbes – in an article captioned

How Did Rich Connecticut Become One of Americas Worst Performing Economies

 

 

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And You - Fellow Taxpayers – Get to Pay for All of This, As

 

Connecticut Now Pays Pensions as High as $276,000!!!!

 

In Calendar Year 2012, the State of Connecticut paid 44,216 Retirees pensions totaling $1.4 BILLION!!!  The following link illustrates those who received from $50,000 to the highest pension at $276,364.

Click to View…… http://www.ctact.org\upload\home\StatePensionFinalFinal.xls

 

To learn more about State of CT Employee Pensions

click http://transparency.ct.gov/html/searchPensions.asp.

 

 

 

 

Connecticut Now Pays Salaries as High as

$2.9 Million!!!!

 

In Fiscal Year 2013,  the State of Connecticut paid 94,919 Salaries

Totaling $5.6 BILLION!!! 

The following link illustrates those who received from $250,000 to $2.9 Million.

Click to View…… http://www.ctact.org\upload\home\2013Salaries.xls

 

 

To learn more about State of CT Employee Salaries and Benefits

Click to View… http://transparency.ct.gov/html/searchPayroll.asp

 

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In 2013, we also learned

Auditors: State agency doled out $37M while violating public notice law

Two State Quasi Public Agencies are Referenced

Connecticut Development Authority (CDA)

Connecticut Innovations (CI)

  

Check out CDA and CI Salaries and Benefits at

http://www.ctact.org\upload\home\CDA CT INNOVATION SALARIES.xls

 

 

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As a Taxpayer Paying State Employee Pensions, you may be asking what is the status of the state’s pension plan, what do the State Employees pay toward their pensions and how many more of these high pensions can I be expected to fund through my tax dollars?  The following provides some insight into those questions….

 

 

Of the 10 Most Threatened State Pension Plans Connecticut Ranks Number 2

 

 

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The following Publications by the State of Connecticut’s Office of Legislative Research Lend Insight into

STATE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS IN NORTHEASTERN STATES

Feb 20, 2013

Check out Connecticut below and then  Click on the following web link for information on Other States

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2013/rpt/pdf/2013-R-0139.pdf

 

CT State Employee

 

Contribution as Percent of Salary

 

 

 

Tier I (hired before July 2, 1984)

2%

Tier II (hired July 2, 1984 - June 30, 1997)

0%

Tier IIA (hired July 1, 1997 - June 30, 2011)

2%

Tier III (hired after June 30, 2011)

2%

 

 

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OLR BACKGROUNDER: STATE EMPLOYEE DEMOGRAPHICS

 

This report describes the age and gender demographics of state employees as of November 15, 2013.

 

Based on data we received from the comptroller’s  office, there are 54,903 full time state employees, of which 26,452 (48.2%) are male and 28,438 (51.8%) are female (the data does not identify the gender of 13 employees).

 

Roughly 28% of the employees are under 40 years old; 60% are between 40 and 60; and 12% are at least 60 years old.  Female state employees age 50 - 54 outnumber males in the same age group by  971, the largest gender differential among any age group.  Over 53% of employees  age 65 and over are male.   Continue reading at …. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2013/rpt/pdf/2013-R-0458.pdf

 

 

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State of our State

1 Bil Dlr Deficit Awaits Next Governor Also CT Worst Performing Economy and More News on the State of our State
The Federation of - CT Taxpayer Org - Dec 2013

 

 

 

PENSION CRISIS IN CHICAGO

19.5 BILLION DOLLARS SHORT, IS IT TIME TO END COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.... 
The Federation of - Ct Taxpayer OrgDec 2013