[Mike 75]

Originally Posted by Mr_250

The FFC residents are doing more than well. There are more wealthy people in FFC than poor. They should pay for it. I mean, CT is pretty much in the dumps so we need the wealthy people to pick up the slack.

If they are working in NYC they are making boat loads of money. They can afford it. Don't kid anyone.

You have no idea what you're talking about. There are plenty of people commuting to NYC who aren't making boat loads of money, especially when adjusted for cost of living. This idea that FFC is the state's piggy bank and needs to be repeatedly tapped to subsidize the nonsense going on in Hartford is a big part of why this state is on a downward trajectory.

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

The states budget is nearly $20 billion dollars. Nearly 15 years ago it was around $12 billion. Since then we grew by only 175,000 people and our budget has grown by $8 billion! That's insane. It's just wasteful spending. Most (I believe all?) State employees get free healthcare for life even if they move out of state, their kids get FREE college through taxpayers, etc. It's ridiculous.

This is what happens when you get big government. They spend too much! It's not sustainable. Whenever odds don't meet with the budget, they just find new ways to get into our pocket. Why can't we budget like states down south? If we do then our economy will grow like crazy. There's a reason so many people are moving down there in the first place. We've been going downhill since the introduction of the state income tax in 1990 which I remember very well. As soon as they implemented it, investors stopped coming into CT in droves.

If crooked Hillary wins what you describe will be what our country looks like, not just CT state employees. That's when all of America will fall.

[RunD1987]

Will this add a new train station to Bridgeport, new trains, new station in Waterbury, and a train to Hartford then I am cool with the hike

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by Mike 75

You have no idea what you're talking about. There are plenty of people commuting to NYC who aren't making boat loads of money, especially when adjusted for cost of living. This idea that FFC is the state's piggy bank and needs to be repeatedly tapped to subsidize the nonsense going on in Hartford is a big part of why this state is on a downward trajectory.

The problem is CT leaders use tax money and successful business as a financial instrument to implement liberal policy instead of as a framework for a healthy and self sustaining economy.

Do you really expect less of Libs in CT? Of course they're not going to capitalize on the success of FFc and use it as a sound economic model elsewhere in the state because they can just rape and extort the "well off" residents there to support those who aren't as savvy elsewhere. Why create diverse wealth, sustainability and empower people/towns/cities to control their own destiny when you can more easily hold hostage the success of others for political gain? Whose not gonna vote for the free sh* party? Answer: those with dignity

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Will this add a new train station to Bridgeport, new trains, new station in Waterbury, and a train to Hartford then I am cool with the hike

Hike is pay off M8 railcars

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by cynic1

According to the BEA ...the inflation rate for the last 10 years has averaged 1.57 % PA...and thus far this year it stands at - 0.8 PA....MTA capital expenditures .. cars .. stations ...etc ... are amortized over 20 years.

Inflation for construction has been much higher though. Amortizing improvements is what they are doing but that does not mean they do not have to pay for the improvements, it just spreads those payments over a period of time. Still costs money that someone has to pay. Jay

[sezzam]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

... Most (I believe all?) State employees get free healthcare for life even if they move out of state...

Some facts: State employees make mandatory contribution of 3% of their gross pay to Retiree Heath Insurance Fund for 10 years and must remain in service for at least 15 years to be able to get health insurance after retiring. If they have met both contribution and service requirements, in retirement, they get to participate in the same health plans current employees have and after age 65 get to use the plan as a supplemental to Medicare.

CT health plans are generally designed for CT residents. Plans from regional insurers such as Oxford work mainly in CT and to some extent in the tri-state area. Plans from regional insurers are obviously less expensive than those from national insurers such as Anthem. So, retirees living outside CT often enroll in the more expensive plans and not-so-infrequently end up visiting an out-of-network provider.

Some numbers: A state employee making $50K gross annually pays $1050/year currently for healthcare for self (~$3500 for self+1; $4100 for family) and also pays $1500/year towards Retiree Health Insurance for ten years. If the employ retires at 60 (a reasonable retirement age), the employee then pays whatever is the future equivalent of $1050/year to enroll self in a state health plan. After age 65 he/she continues to pay that premium to get supplemental coverage for Medicare.

Whether this is a fair/unfair deal is a different matter, but I think it helps to have facts.

[MrGompers]

AS of 2015 MTA has a fare box recovery rate of 55% which is 2nd highest in the country. That is significant. That would mean the Govt is subsidizing the MTA at 45%. I would love to know what the Govt is subsidizing the highway system each year in comparison.

1.San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit, California: 65%

2. Metro-North Commuter Railroad, New York: 55%

3. MTA Long Island Rail Road, New York: 48%

4. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, D.C.: 46%

5. Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad (Metra), Illinois: 45%

6. San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, California: 43%

7. Chicago Transit Authority, Illinois: 42%

8. MTA New York City Transit, New York: 41%

9. NJ Transit, New Jersey: 40%

10. PATH, New Jersey/New York: 40%



The List: The 10 U.S. Transit Agencies That Rely Most on Fare Revenues - NJ Spotlight

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by sezzam

Some facts: State employees make mandatory contribution of 3% of their gross pay to Retiree Heath Insurance Fund for 10 years and must remain in service for at least 15 years to be able to get health insurance after retiring. If they have met both contribution and service requirements, in retirement, they get to participate in the same health plans current employees have and after age 65 get to use the plan as a supplemental to Medicare.

CT health plans are generally designed for CT residents. Plans from regional insurers such as Oxford work mainly in CT and to some extent in the tri-state area. Plans from regional insurers are obviously less expensive than those from national insurers such as Anthem. So, retirees living outside CT often enroll in the more expensive plans and not-so-infrequently end up visiting an out-of-network provider.

Some numbers: A state employee making $50K gross annually pays $1050/year currently for healthcare for self (~$3500 for self+1; $4100 for family) and also pays $1500/year towards Retiree Health Insurance for ten years. If the employ retires at 60 (a reasonable retirement age), the employee then pays whatever is the future equivalent of $1050/year to enroll self in a state health plan. After age 65 he/she continues to pay that premium to get supplemental coverage for Medicare.

Whether this is a fair/unfair deal is a different matter, but I think it helps to have facts.

The presentation of facts here is not welcome now, nor will they ever be. This is a place for whinning and bellyaching all day long.

I have posted the state employee benefits website numerous times here and no one cares. Not a single person here has referenced it or quoted it. All conjecture all the time. Stick to the posts where people are asking for the best way to get to Mystic Seaport on a Saturday morning.

At this point the state employee benefits website and the bus way cost break down should just be stickied at the top of the forum for all to see when they first open the CT forum link.

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

The presentation of facts here is not welcome now, nor will they ever be. This is a place for whinning and bellyaching all day long.

I have posted the state employee benefits website numerous times here and no one cares. Not a single person here has referenced it or quoted it. All conjecture all the time. Stick to the posts where people are asking for the best way to get to Mystic Seaport on a Saturday morning.

At this point the state employee benefits website and the bus way cost break down should just be stickied at the top of the forum for all to see when they first open the CT forum link.

I disagree. I've learned quite a bit on this forum. Having opinions/comments and on rare occasion legitimate analysis challenged on here, at the very least, requires one to evaluate those opposing facts and to re-check your reasoning in order to maintain or advance your own argument.That is no doubt a foundation for continued casual learning . I have been proven incorrect or conceeded my point on a number of occasions here, then there's times I've exposed the flawed logic or debunked the claims of other members. It's a healthy process. Dont feel defeated by the willfully ignorant. Not posting counter arguments or alleged facts would undermine the purpose of this forum, especially when the topic is one of opinion, because prospective transplants come from a variety of backgrounds.