In both Hartford and
its General Assembly, Democrats have for decades been winking at metastasizing
labor costs driven upwards by state employee union demands. How can you tell
when union salary and pension costs are extravagant? Easy. They are excessive
when labor costs cannot be sustained by a shrinking revenue market.
Both Connecticut and
Hartford crossed that Rubicon decades ago. After instituting Connecticut’s
pension system, state government waited three decades before it made a deposit
in the established account. And the fund later was raided by legislators
determined to treat all dedicated funds and “lockboxes” as if they were one
large slush fund to be plundered by
politicians who did not wish to disturb the political status quo. The state’s mega-slush fund was regularly raided by
political pirates who did not want to make necessary cuts in labor costs – and
why should they when new revenue was pouring into state coffers? What happened
next is best illustrated by former Great Britain Prime Minister Maggie
Thatcher’s wry observation: “The trouble with socialism is that, sooner or
later, you run out of other people’s money.”
In truth, Hartford
has passed its point of no return. Unless the city is able to increase revenue –
not a chance -- or reduce spending – not likely under Democrat progressive
regimes -- Hartford is non-salvageable, which is why several commentators have
asserted the city should be
permitted to declare bankruptcy. A bankruptcy proceeding would radically adjust
union contracts and impose a reduced spending plan on a city that has been, for
nearly half a century, a Democrat Party hegemon.
But city employees’
labor costs in Hartford will not be restrained in the long term, mostly owing
to the cowardice of Democrat politicians kept on a short tether by city union
bosses; and, if Bronin follows through on his ambition to do for the state what
he has done for Hartford, the Mayor of Hartford will not be in place when the
aircraft carrier, dripping debt, is raised from the depths.
Bronin is not the
only Democrat hero who has abdicated. Bronin was Malloy’s chief council, and
his onetime boss is also leaving a sinking ship; not that anyone expected
Malloy to give voters an opportunity to assess his two terms in office by
voting against him in a third run for governor. Malloy’s Lieutenant Governor,
Nancy Wyman, also has abdicated. Attorney General George Jepsen – gone.
Malloy prevented
timely adjustments in the now notorious SEBAC-Malloy agreement by extending to
2027 contract terms state taxpayers no longer can afford. The extended contracts
also provide that future governors – even, God and Connecticut voters willing,
Malloy’s former chief council – may not resort to lay-offs to balance future
budgets, a default remedy often deployed by Malloy. It is as if a major general
should quit the half-fought battle and leave the issue in the hands of his subordinates,
while taking all their weapons away with him.
Malloy’s legacy to
future governors will be a broken state ill prepared to meet the new decade,
more unbalanced budgets, deeper debt, a government that cannot adjust to its
new reality by making use of means often deployed by Malloy to reduce debt – no
layoffs please – a dystopia in which the citizens of Connecticut wake everyday
with Thatcher’s dire warning ringing in their ears. Hell, for quasi-socialists,
is running out of other people’s money.
And Bronin’s legacy
to Hartford will be an anti-democratic authoritarian panel to run the city and
disburse funds showered upon it by Malloy and his cronies in the union
friendly, Democrat dominated General Assembly. But never worry, the state
oversight panel will have as its members “Thomas Hamilton, chief financial
officer of Norwalk Public Schools; Patrick J. Egan, former president of the New
Haven Firefighters IAFF Local 825; John B. Nolan, a lawyer for Day Pitney;
Scott D. Jackson, the state’s labor commissioner and former mayor of Hamden;
and Mark Waxenberg, former executive director of the Connecticut Education
Association,” according to a story in a Hartford paper.
These are not foxes guarding the henhouse; they are fellow roosters crowing on
cue. What real damage to union interests can be expected from such a union
friendly oversight board?
Malloy’s legacy to
his former chief council is a generous $40 million in state tax money and –
God willing – the governor’s office.
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