Capitol Connection: Budget “Rats” Defy Democratic Process

Last week, I explained how a new unfunded mandate was snuck in to the state budget, burdening our towns. While one “rat” is bad, sadly that’s not the only one that was passed under the guise of the state budget this year.

The problem with “rats,” non-budget policies that lawmakers quietly insert into the massive budget bill, is not only that they often implement bad policy. The problem is also that they are used to usurp the democratic process.

These are controversial concepts that would have been challenged by lawmakers and in many cases would have lacked the support needed to pass and become law on their own.

This year, for example, other items inserted into the budget bill at the last minute include the following:

• Expansion of the “First Five” Program– the governor’s favorite corporate welfare program which pays big companies millions to create jobs. While everyone loves jobs, private jobs shouldn’t be funded by taxpayer dollars. Instead, our state should be focused on making the business environment better for everyone, not picking winners and losers. People need to be empowered to create jobs themselves.
• Creating a $15 minimum wage for employees of contracts with Legislative Management – a change that increases the costs of many taxpayer funded jobs. Other proposals to increase the minimum wage across the state to $15 failed this year because lawmakers understand that hiking the minimum wage often goes hand in hand with job shrinkage not growth. The more you have to pay one employee, the less likely you will be able to hire more employees. Despite the opposition, and despite the fact that Connecticut already has one of the highest minimum wages, this policy change was made. It only applies the $15 minimum wage to people who work for the state’s legislative branch of government, meaning an increase in taxpayer funded expenses for the state.
• Allowing “Labor Peace Agreements” – an agreement between management and a union to forgo certain rights protected by federal labor law. In these agreements, unions often promise employers they will not conduct pickets, strikes, or other disruptions as long as an employer makes concessions to the union. While in name this may sound like a good “peaceful” arrangement, it shifts power dramatically and is a proposal that received significant opposition from CT lawmakers this legislative session.

Instead of utilizing the legislative process which is designed to promote fairness and transparency, the insertion of these rats skirted the process. In fear of opposition, those in charge went around the system by putting these significant policy changes in the state budget.

Democracy is based on fair representation. When debate is avoided, and when those in charge go around those who serve by their side we have a problem.

My ask is simple: let’s review these ideas in the open. Let’s hold a public hearing. Let’s have a fair and transparent vote on these individual concepts. Then if majority rules in favor, so be it. Lumping them into a massive budget bill shouldn’t be used to hide and avoid having to answer tough questions.

Sen. Witkos, Senate Minority Leader Pro Tempore, represents the 8th District towns of Avon, Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Granby, Hartland, Harwinton, New Hartford, Norfolk, Simsbury and Torrington. For more information visit senatorwitkos.com or www.facebook.com/senatorwitkos.