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Old 07-15-2011, 09:45 AM
 
Location: Farmington Valley, CT
502 posts, read 1,386,574 times
Reputation: 337

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tetto View Post
Willimantic is pretty good, not too many people use it and its fast. I suspect thats all going to change now...!
Well, this time around, I'd even camp out overnight to have that CT license in my pocket and the pretty blue and white plates back on the cars, so no problem for any extra wait times, actually.
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Old 07-15-2011, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Connecticut
5,104 posts, read 4,788,410 times
Reputation: 3636
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlassoff View Post
I'd be curious to see the specific list of cuts that you guys would recommend...

I'd like to see the list that has no impact on the convenience, security or qol of the people of Connecticut.

To scream for cuts, and then again scream the cuts (when made) are going to inconvenience you seems a little hypocritical to me.

So please, prove me wrong. Let's see your list of specifics. No more generalizations about a few middle managers who do nothing. Where do the millions upon million in savings come from?

Most DMV services are going online. The offices are an anachronism. In Texas I never stepped foot in the DMV once the primary services went online.

First things that come to mind are the commissions like "commissons on women, commission on latinos, commission on african americans, etc". I don't remember their actual names, but it's something like that.

I would then flush the DMV's various "commissioners" as the DMV has always been a dumping ground for political cronies.

What the state Govt really needs is an audit by an independent company.

Think of the movie "office space" (without the comedy) where the two "Bobs" come in to ask everyone what their duties are in the office. And then decide how to consolidate the work and/or lay off employees.
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Old 07-15-2011, 08:21 PM
 
Location: Fairfield, CT
6,981 posts, read 10,894,322 times
Reputation: 8821
I'm glad I just renewed my license last year. With any luck, I'll be able to stay out of the DMV for at least 5 years.
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Old 07-15-2011, 09:11 PM
 
Location: NJ
18,665 posts, read 19,903,322 times
Reputation: 7313
Many states have privitized DMV, with great results. Less cost, and more accountability, since union stewards are not involved.
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Old 07-16-2011, 07:53 AM
 
Location: New England
8,155 posts, read 20,931,709 times
Reputation: 3338
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlassoff View Post
I'd be curious to see the specific list of cuts that you guys would recommend...

I'd like to see the list that has no impact on the convenience, security or qol of the people of Connecticut.

To scream for cuts, and then again scream the cuts (when made) are going to inconvenience you seems a little hypocritical to me.

So please, prove me wrong. Let's see your list of specifics. No more generalizations about a few middle managers who do nothing. Where do the millions upon million in savings come from?

Most DMV services are going online. The offices are an anachronism. In Texas I never stepped foot in the DMV once the primary services went online.
Few points.

1. Without being privy to detailed information, it's hard to give a detailed response. However, I think it's safe to say we ALL know CT has one of the most bloated state governments in the nation. NJ operates at almost half the cost per capita per state employee than CT. Mass about 35% less.

Just looking at one MINOR branch like CT Innovations which I find dubious at best in the "need" category (And know two of the "deal team" members...one is a customer). 11.8 million dollars. Now I know I just threw you a softball because they are supposed support and promote tech companies in CT.

Go to CTSunlight.org | Home and hit "payroll" "Quasi Public" and select CT Innovations and look at the salaries. 190K, 140K etc etc. For WHAT?

We already have the privately funded CT Technology Council.

44 Million dollars spent last year just on payroll for the CT Lottery. Anyone have a clue what it brought in? And even so, does the state need to be in the gambling business? Lots of heavy 6 figure salaries there too.

31 million dollars spent on payroll for the CT Housing and Finance Authority. Their Ex Dir pulling down 233K per year. How relevant is CHFA? What are they doing for the cities? Why is the state in the mortgage industry?

Okay enough of the "somewhat" useful agencies.

31 millions dollars to The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. LOL
The mission of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is to develop, advance, and disseminate scientific knowledge, improve agricultural productivity and environmental quality, protect plants, and enhance human health and well-being through research for the benefit of Connecticut residents and the nation. Seeking solutions across a variety of disciplines for the benefit of urban, suburban, and rural communities, Station scientists remain committed to "Putting Science to Work for Society", a motto as relevant today as it was at our founding in 1875.
Wow, that's worth taking 57 state cops off the road.

The CT Bureau of Administration?

135 million in payroll...can't really even find out what exactly they do?

Commission on Culture and Tourism. (We have one of those? ROFL)

14 million in payroll. The Director of Culture (ROFL) is making 84K a year.

Office Of Protection and Advocacy. 13 million in payroll. What exactly do they do? Are there other agencies that do the same thing? I would imagine so!

I can sit here all day and pick these things apart, but I think you get the idea.

2. I don't think it's the cuts that are bothering us. It's the fact that there was no plan, and they are using the cuts as a political football.

3. I don't disagree with your DMV point, but that's just it. If you are going to cut it, have a FREAKIN PLAN to do something like that. Don't just shut the doors and say "oh well". That's unreal.



Quote:
Originally Posted by MrGompers View Post
First things that come to mind are the commissions like "commissons on women, commission on latinos, commission on african americans, etc". I don't remember their actual names, but it's something like that.

I would then flush the DMV's various "commissioners" as the DMV has always been a dumping ground for political cronies.

What the state Govt really needs is an audit by an independent company.

Think of the movie "office space" (without the comedy) where the two "Bobs" come in to ask everyone what their duties are in the office. And then decide how to consolidate the work and/or lay off employees.
Exactly. Well said.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bobtn View Post
Many states have privitized DMV, with great results. Less cost, and more accountability, since union stewards are not involved.
See my point about no plan being in place.
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Old 07-16-2011, 10:08 PM
 
Location: Connecticut
34,688 posts, read 56,476,753 times
Reputation: 11162
JViello - You forget one thing when comparing the size of Connecticut state's government to others, Connecticut does not have a county level of government. Other states like New Jersey do. Many of the things covered in other states on a county level are covered here by the state. Would you rather have another layer of government added? I wouldn't. Jay
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Old 07-16-2011, 10:50 PM
 
Location: Coastal Connecticut
21,537 posts, read 27,783,815 times
Reputation: 6669
The DMV is something that's directly paid for by the citizens that use it. The problem is, the money is all funneled into whatever else the state feels like spending on.

Cut spending on things that taxpayers don't get anything for - welfare, subsidized housing, government bloat.

And I agree, don't just kill the offices - improve the online system and spend money on its awareness with the public first.
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:05 AM
 
521 posts, read 1,146,893 times
Reputation: 233
Default Well, you have a point mlassoff

Quote:
Originally Posted by mlassoff View Post
I'd be curious to see the specific list of cuts that you guys would recommend...

I'd like to see the list that has no impact on the convenience, security or qol of the people of Connecticut.

To scream for cuts, and then again scream the cuts (when made) are going to inconvenience you seems a little hypocritical to me.

So please, prove me wrong. Let's see your list of specifics. No more generalizations about a few middle managers who do nothing. Where do the millions upon million in savings come from?

Most DMV services are going online. The offices are an anachronism. In Texas I never stepped foot in the DMV once the primary services went online.

Maybe instead of some of the state DMV offices closing, they could, instead close offices or eliminate staff in towns where they aren't doing their jobs well, or aren't pleasant to the general public.
We've seen our share of staff in local towns where they didn't seem to know what they were doing, and were not very professional at their job to start with. Eliminate those workers.
Now who makes $150K a year? Also, you state to list your specifics mslassoff, do you want us to name names of staff they ought to lay off?
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:28 AM
 
521 posts, read 1,146,893 times
Reputation: 233
Well, JViello.. interesting post. We'll research these different organizations and see what they do.
I did look up the Office of Protection and Advocacy. It protects the rights of Disabled people, who are often neglected and abused, especially in the state of Connecticut, which is the prime headquarters for so many insurance companies who don't want to protect the rights of disabled people.
This agency definitely need to stay in effect, or else, there's going to be too many cases of people violating the ADA, which is a federal law, and then Connecticut could lose federal funding.

Many people in the state of CT end up disabled for life, when they shouldn't have at all, in the state of CT, because a company's insurance agency doesn't want to pay for them, while they heal up from an injury on a job.
Or, if they're born with the injury, many insurance companies, won't even think to give a disabled person insurance. That's a fact. That's unethical.


They had an article in the paper many years ago, about a man who was badly injured on the job, and was so neglected and abused by his employer not giving him any workmen's compensation, for the severe injury he suffered, he ended up committing suicide! There's a law in effect called the American Disability Act, but it's hardly ever enforced, so yes, we do need to keep this agency.
Disabled people have civil rights too. They're often abused, neglected and discriminated against on a regular basis. I've seen quite a lot of that in this state to be honest.
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:35 AM
 
521 posts, read 1,146,893 times
Reputation: 233
Default I agree with you on this comment...

Quote:
Originally Posted by mkiv808 View Post
The DMV is something that's directly paid for by the citizens that use it. The problem is, the money is all funneled into whatever else the state feels like spending on.

Cut spending on things that taxpayers don't get anything for - welfare, subsidized housing, government bloat.

And I agree, don't just kill the offices - improve the online system and spend money on its awareness with the public first.
Yes, they definitely need to cut welfare on citizens who are healthy enough to get jobs, and those who want a free hand out for housing, when they are healthy enough to go to work.
Government bloat... well, that consumes pages & pages to be honest. There's too much of that in our state, for sure.

when you got people barely getting by these days, old people who don't have enough money in their savings to pay their bills, basic living expenses, and the handicapped who so often don't even qualify for disability benefits, even if they are badly disabled, to give out thousands of dollars each year, to a fully functioning, perfectly healthy adult is totally unethical and not worth doing imho.
We're just making this people lazy and content to live off the backs of others. That's so not right. You got a very valid point there mkiv808. I often agree with your posts though,
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