[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by bobtn

Nope, kidyankee. That is why above I used color to isolate data points, like spending vs pop growth, pension underfunding, and comparison private/public wages, and the sections I left uncolored I do view as analyzing the data. But I do not need the analysis, as I simply need access to data, and can extrapolate well once provided it.

The most alarming is budget up 41 pct adjusted for inflation, state headcount up 28 pct, but pop just up 7 pct. That means each citizen is paying for MORE government workers than was the case 20 years ago. I'm sure the OP, JViello, can tell us that by viewing the large tax bills associated with his business he has previously discussed.

Everything you didn't bold is what I'm talking about. Again, he presents facts, but then spouts off about it. Who cares what he thinks? It's an editorial; not a factual article. If you're going to take an obviously biased editorial (whether I agree or not) to use as fuel to b*tch about the state that you don't even live in (perhaps to make you feel better about TN?), then maybe you should take this online course:

www.readingcomprehensionconnection.com/

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by bobtn

blakesq, I'll have to look that up. I have had several prior year copies, and in recent years, Ct ranked in the 40s, with 1 being most favorable to mfg environment.

I bet there is inverse relationship between the average salary in a state and their "friendliness" to manufacturing.

I'm not sure I want this to be Oklahoma.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

I'm not sure I want this to be Oklahoma.

Or Tennessee. Or Alabama. Or Mississippi.

[bobtn]

I'd bet not , mlassoff, but it takes tons of dissecting, as to be accurate, one would need to correlate average salary to state Cost of living (50 different calcs-ouch!). The RTWs are more favored by mfg, but in general, the cost savings comes from avoiding job killing work rules, where one would need 3 employees to change a light bulb. When management can manage without calling the steward every 5 minutes, corps are more profitable, and the jobs are sustainable.

Nothing harms employees more than frequent layoffs, and nothing helps them more than reliable paychecks, year in, year out. 2 of my few remaining Ct relatives have experienced the pain, like the OP, of an income stream loss. One just got hired again, her 2nd FFC layoff in 2 years, and she now makes 60 percent of her 1992 salary, and may qualify for food stamps, despite a fulltime office job in FFC. Still its a relief to her to be hired, and hopefully, she can take Health Insurance, but costs will be a problem. Her siblings in FFC are even worse off financially. The irony is the one sibling on lifetime Disability is in the best financial position, while his family members who worked are worse off the last 15-20 years. I suspect the one just hired will need to be working 60 hours per week, with a 2nd p/t job, in order to simply pay for food, clothing, and shelter, but at her age, I do not think she can do that for as many years as she needs to.

[bobtn]

kidyankee, Despite your Eddie Haskellish "wit" and I use that term loosely, the reality is I used data points and glossed over the verbage, and its of interest to me due to the plight of the 99% in Ct, like my relatives I mentioned above, who despite a large drop in income, now pay more in Ct taxes than they did 20 years ago. I'm no Weicker fan, and left Ct before paying too many years of Ct income tax, but his "2 Connecticuts" points were quite valid. Sadly, that has gotten worse. I honestly don't worry about the Jack Welch types; they will be fine , no matter the tax rate.

But when I see the suffering of several family members, friends, and read about what the OP has gone through, its painful. I saw the same disdain for mfg in the 90s, and advised an ex boss who wanted to buy his company which would otherwise close in New Haven County, to invest his money only where it would be appreciated. It ended up sold to a man, who with help from local government, moved the operations to Indiana, adding several hundred jobs eventually.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by bobtn

But when I see the suffering of several family members, friends, and read about what the OP has gone through, its painful.

The OP, as far as I know and thankfully, has health for him and his family. All the money in the world cannot replace that. "Suffering" would not be the appropriate term.

[bobtn]

He does, kidyankee, right now. Will my cousins be insured again-despite working f/t? wish I could confidentally say yes, but if the employee contribution is anything beyond negligible, most likely the answer is no. The other sibling lost an above Ct median income professional job several years ago, could not find meaningful employment with Insurance again, had coverage via the ex employer until he became eligible for Medicare. But his wife is younger- she will have a 4 year gap with squat, and a bad medical history. Some of her meds will need to be eliminated, despite her doctors urging. What's your Eddie Haskell answer for that situation?

BTW, Suffering has often been used in a such a description. Its nothing new.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by bobtn

He does, kidyankee, right now. Will my cousins be insured again-despite working f/t? wish I could confidentally say yes, but if the employee contribution is anything beyond negligible, most likely the answer is no. One lost an above Ct median income job several years ago, could not find meaningful employment, and his ex employer is ending retiree insurance for him and his wife. He is eligible for Medicare now, but she will have a 4 year gap with squat, and a bad medical history.

BTW, Suffering has often been used in a such a description. Its nothing new.

So, are you for Obamacare?

[bobtn]

Not really, as it would not help in their situation, based on what I have seen for projected required insurance contributions. It would help her pre-existing condition, if it were affordable. Had they added tort reform, it might well be affordable, as defensive medicine would be largely eliminated.

Plus,my other cousins new , low paying job goes bye-bye in 2013, if Obamacare remains intact. Its at a hospital, who has already confirmed that verbally with the department head. She will try to transfer departments at some point, but that is not a sure bet, by any means. After being employed just 1.5 years of the last 3.5 years, any further layoffs could mean her not being self-sufficient anymore.

I am for a viable, alternative plan that would both help the uninsured without substantially harming employment in the sector, and include actual detailed means to control costs w/o rationing.

From the news reports, it appears unlikely Obamacare will have the mandate upheld as constitutional, and w/o that, its back to square 1, so hopefully, they come up with a reasonable plan. They might even want to read the Constitution first. In fairness, our representatives never read the bill anyway, so how were they to know what was in it (like the 3.8% house sale tax)-sar?

[Tin Knocker]

I find it amazing the lengths & convoluted complex things folks use to justify the current sad state of affairs in this state. It is telling that most of them are not blue collar & make their living in ways that benefit from our high tax rates & inflated home costs.
What CT needs is to forget about its proximity to NY & Boston, we are not them, never were & never will be. Until recently we were a farming & manufactureing state. Nice stable industries that actually produce things in a steady reliable manner. Not flashy & fancy, but reliable. Now we produce abut nothing. We rely almost entirely on corporations that can operate anyplace and only choose us because we have a good pool of educated people. Thats going to change as more & more of us go broke trying to live here and when it does those jobs swill leave just like the manufactureing & farming jobs did. Then what? I guess at that point MAYBE our legislature will decide to cut back until some of us can make it here. Of course that'll be hard because as we slip more & more need assistance thats going to be paid by fewer & fewer taxpayers.
It might make some of us feel good to say nothings wrong. But there is lots wrong & if you have lived here awhile its in your face obvious. Taxes in this state blow away inflation in every way shape & form. So bad that we NEED to tax cig & gas more than almost every state in the country, so bad that a temporary income tax from barely 20 years ago is something we cannot do without, so bad that property taxes have increased 20 fold in the last 30 years in many cases. Yet we are still broke. Hows that if things are good? I have friends all over this country & none are in as tough a place as we are. Honestly, besides unfounded prejudices you are much better off in Oklahoma or any not so progressive state than you are in the northeast & CT particularly.
I love it here but we cant move forward if most of us are not willing to admit things are screwed up.
Theres no arguement unless you are lucky enough to be one of the few making out with this sad state of affairs.

Somebody said the issue isnt state & municipal workers making too much, its the rest not making enough. Unfortunately the rest of us need to cope with the reality of a free market, so the problem most definately, in this case IS those state & municipal workers. How can it not be? Nobody here would pay the highest bidder to work on their home, nobody intentionally seeks out a union contractor for their addition. When everybody makes more everybody pays more. The people in the McMansions making big bucks still hire Jose to cut the grass, they dont look for John Q American, so why insist on high payed civil employees? Why shouldnt the state workers take a hit like most of us did? I'm only now finally aproaching what I made in 08, 4 years later & my security & benefits are gone for ever we went over a year with NO health insurance with two children. The choice was eat & keep a roof over our head or buy insurance. I'm not complaining about that, thats MY problem, but I am complaining about a state & people in it that refuse to admit things are not right here. The fact is if you dont think CT has huge issues then you are part of the problem.