Why is Connecticut investing taxpayer funds in countries that are our adversaries in the first place?
Craig Hoffman
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Is the state being honest with us about COVID?
For months we have been bombarded nonstop with COVID-19 statistics, both nationally and here in the state of Connecticut. TV stations give updates multiple times a day, in each newscast they do. We seem to be drowning in COVID information, but are we really getting all the facts that are relevant and helpful?
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Raise eligibility age to fix Social Security
Fixing Social Security requires raising the “early in” eligible age from 62 to 64 years and increasing the age for both full and partial benefits, and tying this to some number below the average lifespan. That way, as average lifespan increases, so does the age at which one becomes eligible for full or partial Social Security benefits.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
We don’t need stoned motorists on our roads
I already share the congested Connecticut roads with DUI drivers, people driving with suspended licenses and/or no insurance, joyriders on the roads in stolen cars and others who shouldn’t be behind the wheel of any motor vehicle. I do not want to have to dodge anyone driving while under the influence of recreational marijuana, too!
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Government officials shouldn’t take sides in labor disputes
Various news reports from this past weekend have shown Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysewicz, New Haven Mayor Toni Harp (and possibly others) speaking on behalf of the striking Stop & Shop workers. Stop & Shop management and the labor union have been in contract negotiations, but their differences are still unresolved. Therefore, why are our elected officials taking sides in any labor/management dispute if there is no illegal action taking place?
Posted inCT Viewpoints
We don’t need more gun laws that don’t work
The state legislature in Hartford has begun a new session with yet more gun control legislation at the top of their “to-do” list. Never mind that Connecticut is near the top of the list with 89 gun-related laws already on the books. Every time something bad happens, the knee-jerk reaction from certain legislators is to pass yet one more law so that “this will never happen again.” This is a totally unrealistic approach to anything, as a perfect world filled with rainbows, lollipops and unicorns cannot be achieved through legislation.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
An argument for the wall
Everyone lives in a house, apartment or some form of physical dwelling which has locks on all exterior doors and all the windows. Why is that necessary? Are the locks to prevent unwanted entry? Yes! Are the locks to prevent theft of one’s possessions? Yes! Are the locks to prevent squatters from occupying the structure? Yes! Are the locks to create a sense of security and safety for the legal occupants? Yes! Do politicians have home security cameras and alarms in their homes in addition to window and door locks? I’d bet that the answer is YES.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Senators, how about prosecuting more gun crimes?
An open letter to Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy: I watched with interest the comments the two of you made after the recent school shooting event in Florida. I then logically thought about the situation and instead of immediately making a public statement of outrage of having done nothing to protect those kids, I thought that you should have considered these facts before pandering to the voters for yet more gun-control legislation.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Tolls: A slap in face to taxpayers, motorists whose funds were diverted
Recent reports of Gov. Dannel Malloy’s desire to erect electronic tolling on select state roads is a slap in the face to those who pay taxes in Connecticut and purchase gasoline or diesel fuel for use in their vehicles and equipment. For decades, funds that were legislated to be collected for transportation development and maintenance have been diverted to the General Fund to be used for non-transportation purposes.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Our hokus-pokus, smoke and mirror, Three-card Monte budget
The Connecticut legislature has finally agreed upon a two-year budget and Gov. Dannel Malloy has signed it into law — minus a hospital funding mechanism which he deleted with a line-item veto. Part of the details say “all individuals with a valid Connecticut license plate will be exempted from paying parking fees at state parks.” However, “A $10 surcharge on motor vehicle registrations will go to support parks. It is expected to raise $8 million this year and $16 million next year, but $2.6 million will be transferred to [the] general fund each year.”
Posted inCT Viewpoints
No budget by deadline, then fine the legislators and governor
I have been following the state’s budget crisis with a lot of interest, because I’m a state resident and taxpayer and I believe in getting something of value for the taxes that I pay. The current stalemate in the budget process in Hartford is wholly inexcusable. In thinking about this problem, I believe I have a solution which most voters would heartily approve.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Asking to see ‘open carry’ permits makes everyone safer
I submit that if a person has the proper permit to open carry in this or any state, they should also be expected to produce the valid permit to do so when asked by a law enforcement official. That isn’t too much to ask of a reasonable person who abides by the law, and it makes the state safer for everyone.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Sen. Blumenthal’s hypocrisy is stunning
Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s call for a special prosecutor to investigate connections between President Donald Trump and the Russian government is a wonderful display of how two-faced and highly partisan our elected senator really is.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Pistol permit fee increase is blatant attempt to limit gun ownership
Regarding Gov. Dannel Malloy’s proposed 2-year state budget and his plans to close the budget gap: One of his proposals is to increase the initial pistol permit fee from $140 to $370 – a 264 percent increase, and to increase the 5-year renewal fee for permit holders from $70 to $300 – a 428 percent increase. Make no mistake about it, this proposal that is squarely directed at gun owners is a blatant attempt to limit gun ownership by making it prohibitively expensive to do so, while claiming the need for more revenue to fill the gaping budget hole.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
A mind-boggling tax revenue idea
On Jan. 26, Paul Hughes had a front page headline article in the Waterbury Republican-American titled “Local revenue-raisers.” In the article, dispensing with the property tax exemption on tax-exempt organizations was mentioned as a possibility for raising more revenue for the income-strapped state. One proposal — which apparently came from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities […]