To: The Connecticut State House, The Connecticut State Senate, and Governor Ned Lamont
Stop $7 Million dollars in Pay Raises for State of Connecticut Government Managers
After an enormous budget battle in the State of Connecticut that concluded at the end of June, many groups were shortchanged of funding due to the budget crisis, especially those with intellectual disabilities. After all the discussion, negotiation and debate, the budget was finally concluded, with no winners, and many losers.
This recent article in the Hartford Courant speaks volumes to the scope of the dysfunctional state government. The Government Managers are about to get what is referred to as a $7 million dollar budget (or 3% raise).
The 3 percent raises are "discretionary" — is not legally or contractually required — but the administration is approving them, during a continuing budget crisis, for reasons including fairness, Gov. Dannel P Malloy's budget chief, Ben Barnes, said in a phone interview Friday afternoon. Unionized workers have already received raises, he said.
This quote from the Governor Malloy's budget chief Ben Barnes says it all: "You need to treat your employees fairly and appropriately," Barnes said, even during a time of "strained resources." He said the managers — who include civil-service administrators at state agencies, as well as state's attorneys and managerial employees in the Division of Criminal Justice — have to work harder and more creatively to get by with less.
My response to Mr. Barnes is as follows:
"You need to treat the intellectually disabled community fairly and appropriately, and the state employees can wait for their 3% raise. I don't know how you sleep at night giving $7 million in pay increases (that are not contractually required) when you have taken from so many who have real needs."
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-more-state-raises-0711-20150710-story.html
Sign this petition and tell Governor Malloy how offensive these salary increases are compared with all the pressing needs of the State of Connecticut. This includes supporting the needs of the intellectual disabled community who have seen cuts of funding, no pay increases for the private sector for 7 years who serve this growing population. Consider taking $7 million dollars and serve many many people on the DDS waitlist (the 2,000 people who are waiting for residential services who have been given no additional funding).
This recent article in the Hartford Courant speaks volumes to the scope of the dysfunctional state government. The Government Managers are about to get what is referred to as a $7 million dollar budget (or 3% raise).
The 3 percent raises are "discretionary" — is not legally or contractually required — but the administration is approving them, during a continuing budget crisis, for reasons including fairness, Gov. Dannel P Malloy's budget chief, Ben Barnes, said in a phone interview Friday afternoon. Unionized workers have already received raises, he said.
This quote from the Governor Malloy's budget chief Ben Barnes says it all: "You need to treat your employees fairly and appropriately," Barnes said, even during a time of "strained resources." He said the managers — who include civil-service administrators at state agencies, as well as state's attorneys and managerial employees in the Division of Criminal Justice — have to work harder and more creatively to get by with less.
My response to Mr. Barnes is as follows:
"You need to treat the intellectually disabled community fairly and appropriately, and the state employees can wait for their 3% raise. I don't know how you sleep at night giving $7 million in pay increases (that are not contractually required) when you have taken from so many who have real needs."
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-more-state-raises-0711-20150710-story.html
Sign this petition and tell Governor Malloy how offensive these salary increases are compared with all the pressing needs of the State of Connecticut. This includes supporting the needs of the intellectual disabled community who have seen cuts of funding, no pay increases for the private sector for 7 years who serve this growing population. Consider taking $7 million dollars and serve many many people on the DDS waitlist (the 2,000 people who are waiting for residential services who have been given no additional funding).
Why is this important?
My husband Dan has 17 year old autistic twins. We received over 14,000 signatures to help defend the rights of the Intellectually Disabled community of Connecticut earlier this year. The previous petition helped to mobilize a community of parents, workers, aids, etc. to take a stance again Governor Malloy's dramatic proposed cuts.
After seeing the budget battle and how this community was short changed, these pay increase are especially offensive. We need to make a very strong statement and tell Governor Malloy this is NOT OK.
After seeing the budget battle and how this community was short changed, these pay increase are especially offensive. We need to make a very strong statement and tell Governor Malloy this is NOT OK.