Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

From The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities:� During the Legislative Session, CCM produces this weekly report to inform members and the Legislature about pending bills that propose (1) new unfunded mandates or (2) mandates relief for towns and cities. Sometimes even well-intended bills will have negative impacts on residential and business property taxpayers. This special report provides CCM members with information on which mandates/mandates relief proposals passed or failed in the General Assembly.� Continued at ��

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=nidhzucab&v=001MLAw4fjEPpWo1WsWab_aafTLaaF5blTYT4ORcMd4C0mNYvMPXwLIUAvd8Y43e9oxtV0INWIOFFbtQKhYzq0kE7Z2tuoP8t3XpdfGvFES-IqOK59AXrU8_oAwkMrH5iK_kDWIpina-v6IFLs_3DZOC07_ecKeneTU1zdQhd4f28PNQxjFf7-pAYtEGHl7-MPC

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UConn Paying An Extra $108,000 To Top Cop Who Retired With $154,000 Pension Jon Lender, Hartford Courant,� University of Connecticut Police Chief Robert Hudd, whose super-high salary of $256,000 drew heavy criticism last year, retired in April to collect a lifetime pension that starts at an eye-catching $154,000 a year � and, what's more, the school agreed to pay him an additional $108,000. Continued at �.. http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-lender-column-uconn-salaries-fallout-0513-20120512,0,3655813.column

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State health plan will cost Rowland $29 a month, taxpayers will pay ... the other $1,900 �By Jordan Fenster, Staff Reporter The Register Citizen Despite a state law aimed at stripping such benefits from politicians who use their office for corruption and personal gain, former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland will be paid more than $1.3 million by taxpayers over the next 20 years in pension benefits, plus some darn good health care coverage. Rowland and his wife are eligible to go on the state employee health plan at a cost of as low as $29 a month in premiums out of his pocket and a cost to taxpayers of as much as $1,900 a month. The cost for prescription drugs to Rowland under this plan? No co-pay at all for many types of medication, and a �maximum� of a $6 co-pay for others. According to lawmakers, there�s nothing at all the state can do about it. As the Hartford Courant�s John Lender uncovered, Rowland is turning 55 and will become eligible to receive his pension on May 31. That payment begins at $50,000 a year, with a scheduled cost of living increase of no more than 3 percent annually. Continued at �� http://ct5thdistrict.registercitizen.com/2012/05/03/state-health-plan-cost-rowland-29-month-taxpayers-pay-1900/

The Federation Asks:� Is this an Example of what taxpayers are paying for State employee healthcare?� In 2009, the Federation sought and published the following.� Last month, we made a request for an update of the following 2009 information which we will publish upon our receipt.

CONNECTICUT STATE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING OVER $5 BILLION FOR HEALTHCARE IN 2009.

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2012 MAJOR ACTS Passed by the General Assembly in its 2012 Regular Session

These summaries are intended to describe briefly the most significant, far-reaching, and publicly debated acts passed by the General Assembly in its 2012 regular session. Not all provisions of the acts are included. Our 2012 Public Act Summary book, which contains detailed summaries of all public acts, will be available later this summer. �The Major Acts are posted on the Internet at http://cga.ct.gov/olr/. The Office of Legislative Research also produces a number of specific reports highlighting timely legislation in various subject areas, including acts affecting children, senior citizens, the environment, and business. These reports will also be available at the above website. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/rpt/2012-R-0181.htm

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Facebook co-founder Saverin targeted by US senators for tax 'avoidance scheme' By Hayley Tsukayama, May 17, 2012 Washington Post Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin has come under increased scrutiny following news that he had renounced his U.S. citizenship to become a resident of Singapore. The move drew criticism as reports pointed out that the move would save Saverin � who owns a part of Facebook � millions of dollars in taxes after the company goes public. Continued at �. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/facebook-co-founder-saverin-under-fire-for-renouncing-us-citizenship/2012/05/17/gIQAPFCyVU_story.html

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Boehner vows another showdown over debt and taxes David Lightman, May 15, 2012 McClatchy Newspapers: "House Speaker John Boehner set the stage Tuesday for another tense, partisan showdown over tax and spending policy later this year, as he vowed to insist on big spending cuts before he'll agree to a new debt ceiling - much like last summer's debt showdown debacle - and he also promised a vote before November's elections on whether to prevent Bush-era tax cuts from expiring at year's end, as scheduled." Continued at �. http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/14/3612300/boehner-vows-another-showdown.html

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These are the most current Mill Rates which were reflected in� each municipality's July 2011 tax bills as are noted on the State of Connecticut�s website.� Please email fctopresident@aol.com with your town�s most current mill rate on which your July 2012 tax bills will be based when they become available to you.� Thank you.�

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Cuomo Boosts Stature After NY Voters OK School Budget Tax Caps International Business Times� May17, 2012 �New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo won a major boost this week after suburban and upstate voters approved 99 percent of their school budgets, most of which adhered to the Democratic governor's new property tax cap. In Tuesday voting, virtually all the state's school and library budgets were approved, the New York State School Board Association said. Nearly 93 percent adhered to the Cuomo tax cap. Cuomo, 54, attributed part of his 2010 landslide win over Republican Carl Paladino to his advocacy of a 2.5 percent property tax cap, which would serve as a brake on taxes. Continued at �.. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/342348/20120517/andrew-cuomo-school-budget-property-tax-cap.htm

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Group Ups The Ante In Education Lawsuit With High- Powered Law Firm by Christine Stuart | May 16, 2012 Posted to: Courts | Education Gov. Dannel P. Malloy may have signed what supporters are calling a sweeping education reform bill Tuesday, but its 185-pages don�t begin to touch upon how the state finances all of its public schools. �That thorny issue is expected to be dealt with by the legislature next year or a court in 2014, the year the education adequacy lawsuit is scheduled to go back to trial. The Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding sued the state back in 2005 alleging that under the state�s Constitution, not only are students entitled to a public education but they also are entitled to one that works, one that assures them, at minimum, an adequate education. The state Supreme Court agreed in a 4-3 decision in 2010, which sent the case back to the trial court. http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php/archives/entry/group_ups_the_ante_in_education_lawsuit_with_high-_powered_law_firm/

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CT State Police union wants no confidence vote against Commissioner Posted by Dan Lovallo on May 19, 2012 For the first time in the 109 year old history of the Connecticut State Police, the leaders of the Connecticut State Police Union are calling for a no-confidence vote against Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Reuben Bradford and State Police Colonel Danny Stebbins. The Torrington-based Register Citizen newspaper has obtained an internal memo sent to all union members by CSP President Andrew Matthews, calling for the vote. Read complete article at http://cttalking.com/government/connecticut/ct-state-police-union-wants-no-confidence-vote-against-commissioner/

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Obama to Congress: Implement Wall St. reforms for growth� Andrew Feinberg 05/19/12 11:28 AM ET� Any progress the country has made in recovering from the economic downturn is threatened by Congress' threat to undo financial reform, President Obama warned Saturday. "For the past three and a half years, we�ve been fighting our way back from an historic economic crisis," Obama said in his weekly address. Continued at �.. http://thehill.com/video/administration/228437-obama-to-congress-implement-wall-st-reforms

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GOP leaders join Issa in pressuring Holder on Fast and Furious

Jordy Yager�� The Hill 05/18/12 House Republican leaders on Friday joined Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) in pressuring Attorney General Eric Holder to turn over documents to congressional investigators in the Fast and Furious case.� Following a 15-month investigation House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) demanded that Holder comply with a 7-month old subpoena or face the consequences. Continued at �.. http://thehill.com/homenews/house/228351-gop-leaders-join-issa-in-pressuring-ag-holder-on-fast-and-furious

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CT's April jobless rate holds at 7.7 percent Hartford Business‎ - May 18, 2012� day ago Connecticut unemployment stayed at 7.7 percent in April, as the number of jobs shrank last month, labor authorities say.Preliminary April employment estimates show Connecticut continues to experience reversal from strong winter job growth in April by declining 4,100 total nonfarm jobs, the state Labor Department said Thursday. In April a year ago, the jobless rate was 9 percent. U.S. unemployment was 8.1 percent in April. In Connecticut last month, the number of unemployed dropped 1,000, and is now lower by 25,300 since April 2011. "The decline in both monthly and annual job growth numbers in April is disappointing, but unusual seasonal patterns this past winter into spring make these numbers difficult to interpret," noted state labor research director Andy Condon. "Despite variability in growth from month to month we still appear to be on a path of positive, albeit modest job growth." Continued at �.. http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news23989.html

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DeLauro facing tough fight over food stamps CTMirror.org, May 17, 2012 By Ana Radelat Congress is expected to cut the SNAP program this year, although it's not known by how much. Senate Democrats have proposed trimming the program by $4.4 billion, while House Republicans are seeking a $33 billion reduction. The $80.6 billion spent on SNAP this year is the largest part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's budget. The Congressional Budget Office determined that the House GOP's cuts would drop 1.8 million Americans from the SNAP program, while reducing aid to millions more.� Continued at �..

http://www.ctmirror.org/story/16389/delauro-facing-tough-fight-over-food-stamps

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Census figures: Minority babies now in majority - USATODAY.com By Ted Mellnik, Washington Post� May 17, 2012 For the first time in U.S. history, most of the nation's babies are members of minority groups, according to new census figures that signal the dawn of an era in which Whites no longer will be in the majority. Population estimates show that 50.4 percent of children younger than 1 last year were Hispanic, Black, Asian or other minorities. That's almost a full percentage point higher than the 49.5 percent of minority babies counted when the decennial census was taken in April 2010. Census demographers said the tipping point came three months later, in July. Continued at �.. http://www.usatoday.com/USCP/PNI/Nation/World/2012-05-17-bccensus_ST_U.htm

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General Motors is becoming China Motors - YouTube

General Motors is becoming China Motors. Forget the spin. The evidence is clear and convincing. Did U.S. taxpayers save GM for China? Listen to the candid comments of GM's CEO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvl5Gan69Wo&feature=youtu.be

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GOP 'Super PAC' Weighs Hard-Line Attack on Obama� Jim Rutenberg and Jeff Zeleny, The New York Times News Service:�� WASHINGTON � A group of high-profile Republican strategists is working with a conservative billionaire on a proposal to mount one of the most provocative campaigns of the �super PAC� era and attack President Obama in ways that Republicans have so far shied away from.� Timed to upend the Democratic National Convention in September, the plan would 'do exactly what John McCain would not let us do,' the strategists wrote. The plan, which is awaiting approval, calls for running commercials linking Mr. Obama to incendiary comments by his former spiritual adviser, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., whose race-related sermons made him a highly charged figure in the 2008 campaign. "� Continued at �.. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/us/politics/gop-super-pac-weighs-hard-line-attack-on-obama.html?pagewanted=all

Court Ruling May Force Advocacy Groups to Disclose Secret Donors
Matea Gold, The Los Angeles Times: WASHINGTON -- Advocacy groups spending millions of dollars in the 2012 campaign are now faced with the prospect of having to reveal the donors who have been secretly financing their efforts after a federal appellate court panel refused to block a lower court order requiring the move.In a 2 to 1 decision issued Monday evening, a U.S. Court of Appeals panel in Washington declined to stay a ruling by a federal judge requiring organizations that run election-related television ads to disclose their donors. Continued at �.. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/15/news/la-pn-court-ruling-may-force-advocacy-groups-to-disclose-secret-donors-20120515

How John Roberts Orchestrated Citizens United : The New Yorker by Jeffrey Toobin May 21, 2012 When Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was first argued before the Supreme Court, on March 24, 2009, it seemed like a case of modest importance. The issue before the Justices was a narrow one. The McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law prohibited corporations from running television commercials for or against Presidential candidates for thirty days before primaries. During that period, Citizens United, a nonprofit corporation, had wanted to run a documentary, as a cable video on demand, called �Hillary: The Movie,� which was critical of Hillary Clinton. The F.E.C. had prohibited the broadcast under McCain-Feingold, and Citizens United had challenged the decision. There did not seem to be a lot riding on the outcome. After all, how many nonprofits wanted to run documentaries about Presidential candidates, using relatively obscure technologies, just before elections?�� Continued at �� http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/05/21/120521fa_fact_toobin?currentPage=all

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