A Budget Surplus That Does Not Add Up!

So Connecticut is ending the current 2010 fiscal year with a budget surplus. What wonderful news that is and you would think that we would all be happy and that rain has stopped and the sun is starting to shine on the fiscal crisis we have been enduring in Hartford and throughout the state. I think we should all say not so fast and look at the measures that have allowed our Legislative leaders to rejoice in the news of a “budget surplus”.

Nancy Wyman our State Comptroller and candidate for Lt. Governor announced that an improvement in state income tax returns has produced a surplus of $166.9 million. How is this possible when our state balanced its budget by deferring $100 million in payments to the State Employment Pension Fund, when the state just borrowed $985 million in the form of economic recovery notes which will be paid by overcharging Connecticut’s taxpayers electric bills and raiding existing energy efficiency funds paid by every Connecticut rate payer.

Deferring payments and borrowing money does not equal a budget surplus. In my house buying something with a credit card because I do not have the cash on hand is not a wise idea or sound fiscal policy and it should not be for the state either. Buying for something on credit or not paying a bill does not mean I have a surplus in my account or have balanced my books and it shouldn’t for the state. As a State we continue to borrow too much and we continue to spend too much. The policies adopted by the state continue to stifle economic growth and will only cause the current recession to continue longer than it should.

When will Connecticut’s voters finally stand up and yell to our elected leaders, No More!
No more to a Government we cannot afford!
No more to a government that borrows more than we can pay back!
No more to a government that drives businesses from the state and the jobs that go with them!
No more to a government that punishes those who take risk, who create capital and create jobs!
No more to a government that with a straight face tells our citizens we have more money than we really do!
No more to a government that hides tax increasing in our electric bills and says they are really fighting to keep costs down!

Then we must ask ourselves what we are willing to do without, we cannot complain of higher taxes and bigger government if we are not willing to give up programs and services. As citizens of the state we must decide what government we need, only the government we need and most importantly what government we can afford!
This November we have the chance to tell our State Representatives, Senators and our future Governor NO MORE! We must demand fiscal accountability and responsibility from our elected leaders and if they refuse than we must refuse them our vote. The future