Connecticut’s Progressive Caucus and state union leaders are again calling for an increase in the state income tax and are justifying their recommendation by pointing to a 2014 tax incidence report released by the state Department of Revenue Services. But the report does not provide the justification they think it does.
Suzanne Bates
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Teacher pension changes should be part of budget solution
If you really love teachers, you’ll support teacher pension reform. If you talk to teachers -– retired or current -– you will know that they are worried that the retirement fund they’ve been paying into won’t be there for them in the future. And they have good reason to worry.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
State budget do-over: The conversion of Dannel Malloy
In the waning hours of the 2015 legislative session, as the exhausted members of the General Assembly debated the budget during an all-night session, Democratic leadership pulled their rank-and-file members out one by one to promise, cajole, and threaten them into voting for the budget. Now, half a year later, we can see why so many Democratic legislators were reluctant to join their leadership in voting for the budget. All of the warnings came true – people and businesses are leaving the state at a faster pace than ever, revenues continue to lag behind expectations, and the state budget remains out of balance.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
After GE’s announcement: What should Connecticut do now?
ince GE announced it was moving out of state, we’ve seen two types of responses – the cheerleaders who pretend this is just an aberration, and the doomsayers who have already started packing their bags. The better response is probably somewhere in the middle. Let’s first admit we have some problems and figure out what they are, and then let’s figure out what to do to about them.