Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

Please contact Susan Kniep at 860-524-6501 to reserve your ticket ($10 each), or email Susan at fctopresident@aol.com, or send your check directly to Bernie Roy, Treasurer, 162 Putting Green Rd, Trumbull, CT 06611 ��

*******

AGAIN, GOVERNOR RELL ACTS

TO PROTECT OUR INTERESTS!

Governor Rell Vetoes Crack Cocaine Sentencing Bill

Asks for New Bill, Outlines Proposals to Address Racial Disparities

Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today she had vetoed a bill reducing penalties for possession with intent to sell crack cocaine, saying she could not accept a bill that �sends the inappropriate message that the enforcement of our drug laws, especially with respect to crack cocaine, is being eased.�� Crack cocaine is one of the most dangerous, addictive drugs on the streets today, and is the source and cause of too much violence in our cities,� Governor Rell said. �Now is not the time to ease our law enforcement efforts.�� At the same time, the Governor said, she understands and accepts the view voiced by many in the African American and Latino communities that there is a clear disparity in Connecticut prison populations as a result of current sentencing laws. Accordingly, she is asking the General Assembly for a revised bill and is offering proposals to address the disparities to ensure that Connecticut�s criminal justice system is more sensitive to the concerns of minorities.

�I have been deeply moved by the concerns and arguments that have been raised,� Governor Rell said. �I have also listened to the many painful stories of racial disparities, and I intend to act to address them,� Governor Rell said. �I want Connecticut in the forefront of this fight.�� The bill vetoed today is House Bill 6635, An Act Concerning the Illegal Sale or Possession with Intent to Sell of Cocaine. ��Under current law, those arrested with one ounce of powder cocaine (approximately 28 grams) or one-half gram (0.5 grams) of crack cocaine can be charged with possession with intent to sell, and face a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence. This bill would have set the threshold for each at one ounce; in other words, the measure would have increased the amount of crack cocaine required for conviction as a dealer by 56 times � an easing of current law that the Governor called �a dramatic shift in our public policy regarding illegal possession, use and sale of drugs.�� In her veto message, the Governor proposed a new compromise bill � setting the threshold at one-half ounce (14 grams) for both crack and powder cocaine � and encouraged the legislature to approve such a change before the current session adjourns.�� We should address the disparities created by our statutes without ceding control of our urban centers to those who deal illegal drugs,� Governor Rell wrote. �We should remember the innocent, hard-working families who live in our cities and who feel the tragic impact on the communities and neighborhoods from illegal drugs and drug-related violence.�� Governor Rell noted that some Connecticut cities have recently experienced a surge in homicides � �many, directly or indirectly, as a result of drug-related violence.� She said drug dealers frequently engage in turf wars and added, �Now is not the time to signal to individuals and gangs that protect their turf through violence and gun use that Connecticut is easing enforcement of its laws regarding illegal drugs.�� In a separate letter to the state Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Criminal Justice System, the Governor asked for specific recommendations to address inequities in Connecticut sentencing laws. She also charged the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management with examining the disparity issue and with making recommendations to her for administrative and legislative action This is the second bill from the 2005 General Assembly session vetoed by Governor Rell.�� June 2, 2005

*******

�ENRON THE MOVIE

�An insightful look into how Enron, banks, and an accounting firm committed crimes against the American public.�� A must see! � Susan Kniep

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, is based on a book with the same name. The most fascinating part of the film is hearing audio tapes of Enron traders...

*******

NEWS LINKS WORTH READING AND SAVING

�Websites to connect you to the political news of the day�

http://www.politicsnationwide.com/

http://politicalwire.com/links.html

http://politicalwire.com/

*******

How Government Wastes Your Money

The Heritage Foundation

�http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed052005b.cfm

*******

Taxophobe Targets

Breaking a promise not to raise taxes is a dicey thing to do.

But lawmakers get away with it.

By ZACH PATTON

http://www.governing.com/articles/5taxes.htm

*******

VERIFIED VOTING.ORG

Verified Voting Sweeps the States!

VerifiedVoting.org, our partners, and voters across the country have successfully persuaded state governments to pass or propose legislation / regulations to require voter-verified paper ballots. Help us complete the legislative landslide toward reliable, secure, and transparent elections!� Please visit our action center (click here) to turn the whole country green with voter-verified paper ballots. Click on the map to see our legislation tracking web page.

http://www.verifiedvoting.org/index.php

*******

Donna McCalla, ctjodi@sbcglobal.net

�hebrondollarsandsense.com

CT Tax Increase Comparison Spreadsheet and Budget Adoptions 1998-2005

June 3, 2005

Hello, all.� We are almost at the end of the FY 2005-06 budget season, and a number of budgets were voted on this week.� As you will see in the updated spreadsheet, the average approved tax increase now stands at 4.42% (even with regression, the number barely budges, and really hasn't for weeks now); the average defeated budget proposal (which includes multiple referenda) stands at 6.68% (with regression, about 6.2%).� Franklin, Sterling, Voluntown, and Region 8 continue to skew the defeated budget proposal figures.

As you know, the state has been tracking budget adoption trends for 15 years, and you can find their latest report at http://www.opm.state.ct.us/igp/acir/munbud05.doc.� I took the state information from this document and created an Excel spreadsheet to track this year�s budget adoption data to date, and the information is very interesting.� To date, 116 budgets have passed on the first try; only 20 budgets are still facing their first vote (either by residents or by an official funding authority, such as a Town Council, etc.).� Even if all 20 of these untested budgets were to pass (which we doubt), that would be a total of 136 budgets passing the first time, which is statistically within the range of last�s years 131 first-time approved budgets.� ��Likewise Round Two votes.� As of today, 6 budgets have been passed on the second try; 14 are facing their second vote.� Even if we assume all 14 pass on this second try (also highly unlikely), that would mean that 20 municipalities passed their FY 2005-06 budgets on the second vote.� This scenario would statistically be within the range of last�s years 19 budgets passed on the second vote.� ��What is more compelling are the Round Three votes.� As of today, 4 budgets have passed on the third vote, yet 10 municipalities are facing a third vote.� Even if we assume all 10 pass, that would mean 14 budgets went three rounds this year, which is significantly higher than last year�s 10 budgets that went to three votes.� While Round Four votes appear to be the �ceiling,� the growing number of Round Three and Round Four votes cannot be ignored.� We have to believe that the state continues to closely monitor these votes, and that any Round Three (and above) votes puts increasing pressure on the state to look more closely at tax reform and today�s municipal funding formulas.� ��As long as local taxpayers are willing to take on the burden, it lets the state off the hook for at least taking the preliminary steps to address the overall problem.� In the long run, the more taxpayers say No to unsustainable tax increases, the more the state will be forced to take notice and take action.� Or� at least we would hope�.

*******

THE REAL PROBLEM WITH SOCIAL SOCIETY

A Former Member of the East Hartford Taxpayers Association, who has moved out of State, recently wrote the following�..

If you think the state pension fund is in arrears, how about the Social Security fund that has been secretly used as a piggy bank to build airplanes, destroyers, and every
other use our fearless leaders have come up with. The public is not being told about the so-called IOU's that� the Feds owe the Social Security fund. This gimmick is not
being used by the president in his so called "Ownership" society that is supposed to cure the SS shortage..It's time for our senators to tell us the truth about how our SS
pension fund is not in trouble but is being diverted to other uses. Let Mr Bush lead a movement to return to the SS fund all the money that he has been sqaundering in his private ventures in the middle east, - MAYBE THE ARABS WILL MAKE UP THE DEFICIT - and the Social Security program will right itself. The puzzling factor in this charade is that the party who is responsible for creating the Social Security program, - Democrats - has yet to address or publicize the stealing of this money from the program, and used for other purposes..Correcting this confiscation of money due the elderly will quickly correct what Mr Bush is claiming is a serious problem forcing him into private accounts.. Bush is really a stalking horse for the Grand Old Party that has been hoping to destroy the social security system ever since it's foundation..Joe

*******

nibirun@webtv.net

Subject:� CCJEF, Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding

June 2, 2005

I wish someone would educate me as to how this corporation, CCJEF,
deserves "nonprofit" status when they are the ones who will profit
directly from an infusion of more funding for public education.

CCJEF is a coalition of municipalities, local boards of education,
professional associations, unions, and advocacy organizations, as well
as concerned educators, parents, and taxpayers. Newly incorporated as a
501(c)(3) nonprofit, CCJEF's founding Board of Directors is chaired by
Hon. Carl Amento, Mayor of Hamden. http://www.ccjef.org/contact.htm

*******

Edward Kardus, ekardas@sbcglobal.net

Wethersfield Taxpayers Association

Subject:� Section E, Business, H.Courant of June 2, 2005

Susan: Did you by chance read the article in the H. Courant entitled, �UTC Boss Raps �Pay-Or-Play� Plan�? http://www.courant.com/business/hc-utc0602.artjun02,0,6446608.story�� One can�t help but wonder whether the proposal addressed [that is, ��[the] legislative proposal that would require the state�s top employers to offer health insurance comparable to that of state worker or face higher tax.�] is associated in some manner with a National [CT State] health insurance plan resembling that of Canada's, or some other twist. - - ed/06-03-2005

*******

Ray Kovalec, rkovalec@charter.net

New Fairfield

Subject:� New Fairfield - Board cuts $500,000 out of budget

May 18, 2005

Susan, for your information.� Ray�

THE NEWS-TIMES, Brian Saxton

NEW FAIRFIELD �Town and school district officials scrambled for solutions Tuesday after the Board of Finance axed $500,000 from the proposed $41 million budget for next year that voters rejected last weekend. Meeting Monday night, the board called for a $400,000 cut in the Board of Education's proposals and $100,000 on the town side. �"This is a significant cut," said Superintendent Joseph Castagnola, who met with school administrators to discuss ways of dealing with it.

"With this sizable cut, everything is now on the table for review," Castagnola said.

First Selectman Peggy Katkocin, who called a meeting of the Board of Selectmen, said given the low margin of defeat in Saturday's budget referendum, the cuts were "pretty extensive and distressing." �Finance board member Lucy DiRocco, the only member to oppose the cuts, agreed they were "disproportionate." ��"Less than 100 people made a difference in the referendum," DiRocco said. "I don't think that warranted such dramatic cuts." ��The $9 million town budget, an 8 percent increase, was rejected by a vote of 1,434 to 1,374. ��The $32.2 million school budget, an increase of 4.4 percent, was defeated by 1,449 to 1,362. ��Katkocin said the selectmen would try to respond to the cuts without impacting existing municipal programs.

"We don't want to diminish public safety or town services so we're looking at other areas," Katkocin said. ��Among those areas, she said, the town will likely call for cutting the $10,000 set aside for the finance board's legal fund and canceling a new $50,000 piece of equipment requested for the town landfill. Katkocin said other cuts will be made in materials and supplies. ��Castagnola declined to be specific about possible cuts on the school side and said the school board would need to approve them. ��The finance board had already reduced the district's proposals by $300,000 earlier in the budget season. ��Among other items, the school package included nearly $50,000 for an additional instrumental music teacher for the middle and high schools. ��It also enabled the district to hire four part-time aides for cafeteria duty at the high school so teachers could spend more time planning and working with students. ��Finance Board Chairman John Hodge said the cuts were made because the panel wanted to try to bring down the budget increase to only 5 percent.

The combined budget as it stood on Saturday was $2 million, or 6.1 percent, more than this year's spending. ��Although it would have meant a 6.1 percent increase in property taxes, a lower mill rate was expected because of recent evaluations.

A homeowner with a house assessed at $250,000, now paying around $4,538 in taxes, would have paid $4,814. ��"We'd like to get the budget approved on the second vote," Hodge said Tuesday. ��Hodge said the board may be able to offset some of the money removed by the cuts with other town resources and potential revenues.

"Hopefully things will not get lost," he said. ��The finance board will likely draw up a new budget next week after both sides present their revisions. ��Contact Brian Saxton ��at bsaxton@newstimes.com ��or at (203) 731-3332

*******

From:� webmaster@hebrondollarsandsense.com

Vote on Hebron Town Budget and CIP budget this Tuesday

Reply to:� owner-hebronupdates@blarneys.securesites.net

May 17, 2005

HEBRON:� Referendum Results Are In

The Hebron town budget has passed by 210 votes. 980 residents voted Yes; 770 voted No. This includes absentee ballots.� The Hebron CIP budget has passed by 407 votes. 1,066 residents voted Yes; 659 voted No. This includes absentee ballots. ��The RHAM Board of Education has announced that their next referendum will be held next Wednesday, May 25. RHAM II proposes a 10.32% overall increase (8.75% operating increase.) Mark your calendars for next Wednesday, May 25 for the next vote on the RHAM budget. All three towns will be voting on the RHAM budget.� Please check newspapers tomorrow for additional details. We will update the www.HebronDollarsandSense.com website with voting statistics around 9:00 tomorrow morning.