[BicoastalAnn]

Originally Posted by Rich Cabeza

We just had a union meeting. Our president said most of the 900 million deficit is bridge and other projects (about 750 million). That's why the union is so adamant about where the cuts should come from. Good call Jay.

I can see their point but making the issue of where the deficit came from, public projects or public employees, is probably not going to help the union stave off the governor's cuts. It would be very unwise of him from a PR perspective to say "instead of the mass layoffs to an industry many people think is bloated, we're going to cut back on road improvements across the state." If something has to give then I don't see it being bridges and etc.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by BicoastalAnn

I can see their point but making the issue of where the deficit came from, public projects or public employees, is probably not going to help the union stave off the governor's cuts. It would be very unwise of him from a PR perspective to say "instead of the mass layoffs to an industry many people think is bloated, we're going to cut back on road improvements across the state." If something has to give then I don't see it being bridges and etc.

Amen. Just like the private sector, your biggest cost bucket are personnel costs. The union had the option to change benefits or headcount, and since they wouldn't take the former, they will no doubt receive a healthy dose of the latter.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Rich Cabeza

We just had a union meeting. Our president said most of the 900 million deficit is bridge and other projects (about 750 million). That's why the union is so adamant about where the cuts should come from. Good call Jay.

Your President is wrong. Bridge funding comes out of the Connecticut Highway Trust Fund and from the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Those funds are used to fund much of CTDOT and the bridge and highway work they do. It cannot be used for plugging a hole in the state budget. That guy is completely uninformed or outright lying to rile to unions. Jay

[adamz]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Your President is wrong. Bridge funding comes out of the Connecticut Highway Trust Fund and from the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Those funds are used to fund much of CTDOT and the bridge and highway work they do. It cannot be used for plugging a hole in the state budget. That guy is completely uninformed or outright lying to rile to unions. Jay

Could he be talking about some of Malloy's pet projects, like the idiotic busway?

[adamz]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

Amen. Just like the private sector, your biggest cost bucket are personnel costs. The union had the option to change benefits or headcount, and since they wouldn't take the former, they will no doubt receive a healthy dose of the latter.

You seem very eager to see state employees laid off. Any particular reason?

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by adamz

Could he be talking about some of Malloy's pet projects, like the idiotic busway?

I don' t know if your trying to be funny or not, but the Fed Govt picked up 80% of the busway's cost. The state picked up the remaining 20%.

The breakout was According to DOT, the final capital cost is $567,053,000, of which $454,842,399 (80.2%) will be paid by the federal government and $112,210,601 by the state.

This should just be stickied at the top of the CT forum from now on.

The busway is projected to need an annual operating budget of $10 million of which fares cover 25% ($2.5 million) which means the busway will be subsided by $7.5 million per year. That amount is minuscule in comparison to what interstate highways receive in subsidies each year.

When they start to rebuild i-84 thru Hartford every one here will be thankful for the busway.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by adamz

You seem very eager to see state employees laid off. Any particular reason?

Relatives live in Ct, and Ct has a huge deficit which spells big tax hikes for them if Malloy does not cut personnel costs.

He was a fool to rescind all 6k layoffs a few years ago.


This move will also serve Ct well in retaining private employers- a sign they get that past corp tax hikes were stupid. They see the light.

[BicoastalAnn]

Hmm though I wonder if it will make things dicier for everyone else to have all those laid off people either flooding the job market (if they're good) or on welfare (if they can't find another job long-term). This will probably be painful for many people, not just those state workers, in the short term but best for long term financial stability.

[CTartist]

General Assembly Votes For Deep Budget Cuts, Not Finished Yet.

General Assembly Votes For Deep Budget Cuts - Hartford Courant

"The state would need to cut at least $330 million more to balance next year's budget — prompting both Republicans and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to criticize the Democratic committee proposal as incomplete."

Malloy is going against his own party and agreeing with the Republicans. That is very rare in today's politics and shows he is willing to listen to the other side to come up with solutions. And that is what Malloy did in Stamford too.

[RunD1987]

How long you think this lack of stability is going to be going for state jobs? I see random job postings that interest me, but you know the newest will be freshly cut. Friend in the Corrections academy received notice of being laid off already.