Less than one day before Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s budget address to the General Assembly, leaders of the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition sent a letter to Rell and legislative leaders clarifying its position.
It says states public employee unions are ready to help in the state’s economic recovery efforts by offering concessions, but there is a condition.
“We must include this condition because while we are willing to ask our members to be part of the solution, we are not willing to ask them to be part of the problem. And cutting public services in this economic crisis would be precisely that – it would only make the problem worse for everyone,” the letter states.
Click here to read a copy of the letter.
The letter goes on to say that the coalition of 13 labor unions is not against raising taxes in an effort to close a portion of the budget deficit.
“It is time to say frankly and openly to the people of this state that revenue enhancements will be necessary to protect the public services upon which they depend, and to avoid sending Connecticut’s economy into a further tailspin. We know collecting additional revenues during a recession is difficult. But it is necessary,” the letter states.
Rell made it abundantly clear Monday night in her address to the people of Connecticut that she will not be proposing any new taxes in her budget.
The details of the budget will be made clear Wednesday afternoon when Rell outlines them in her budget address to the General Assembly at noon.