The recent op-ed in the Courant is correct on one count: state employees are not the problem. If not state employees, then who is to blame for the seemingly perpetual state budget deficit? The problem […]
This week Gov. Dannel Malloy announced that he will invite Democratic and Republican legislative leadership to bipartisan budget talks, to try to come up with ways to cut government spending. This is a positive step, […]
State employees earn at least 25 percent more than similar non-government workers in Connecticut, according to the Yankee Institute’s latest study. That’s not fair. It will take time to fix but we need to start today. Unequal […]
by Andrew BiggsSeptember 2015 A Note From the Yankee Institute Since 2011, Connecticut lawmakers have passed the two of the largest tax increases in state history. Even with this huge influx of taxpayer dollars, the state […]
Download the pdf for tables, graphs and footnotes. TAXES AT HOME: A Comparison of Municipal Spendingby Zachary Janowski with Benjamin Levy and Thurston PowersAUGUST 2015 EXECUTIVE SUMMARYHigh property taxes are a fact of life in Connecticut. Assessed at the local […]
By 1 a.m. on June 30, most of the dark-suited lobbyists had left the Capitol building, as had the cheering union sympathizers wearing purple t-shirts inscribed with the words “Fight for $15.” In the House, […]
Executive SummaryConnecticut’s pension debt is still growing, even though $1 out of every $10 the state spends goes into the pension funds for teachers and state employees. The debt increased by 7 percent from 2012 […]
IntroductionThe two-year budget just proposed by Gov. Dannel Malloy contains the clearest warning signs yet that Connecticut must reform its public sector pay and benefits, as the growth in employee compensation continues to outpace the […]
A ROADMAP FOR RENEWAL:Policy Solutions to RevitalizeConnecticut2014YANKEE INSTITUTE YANKEE INSTITUTEFor Public PolicyINTRODUCTIONIn response to a recent Yankee Institute mailing, several residents – and former residents – sent back the following unsolicited replies:“I’m considering joining those […]
For all footnotes, please see attached PDF. A ROADMAP FOR RENEWAL:Policy Solutions to Revitalize Connecticut2014 INTRODUCTION In response to a recent Yankee Institute mailing, several residents – and former residents – sent back the following […]
The Connecticut State Legislature will begin its 2023 session on January 4th and will adjourn on June 7th. The “long session,” as non-election years are called in Hartford, will be centered around the biennial budget. The Office of the State Comptroller reports that state government found a way to spend $47.11 billion in 2022 and, if trends continue, we can expect that number to grow even more going forward. Concerns over energy prices, inflation, and general cost of living continue to dominate the headlines and the threat of a recession hovers over economic forecasts.
What will our elected officials be working on to improve policy outcomes for Connecticut residents? What tax reform proposals will there be? What can be done to lower home heating bills? How will state and local budgets be affected by fewer federal resources? How will schools be implementing to curriculum requirements?
While we wait to see the thousands of individual and committee bills that while dominate the myriad policy debates this year, Yankee Institute is hard at work promoting free-market solutions to the problems we face from Stamford to Putnam and Mystic to Salisbury. To that end, we have produced a new edition of our Charter for Change. The Charter provides commonsense reforms to make Connecticut’s government work for its residents.
Though the list of reforms may be exhausting to review, it is far from exhaustive! And that’s why we want to work with you to build a broad-based coalition to encourage sound policy reforms to enable Connecticut residents to forge a better future for themselves and their families.
It’s also imperative that we do so. As we noted in a report and CT Mirror op-ed last year, the debate over whether we’re in a national recession really misses the point for Connecticut residents. We had more people employed in the private sector in 2007 than we do today. Our economy has grown at one of the slowest rates in the nation for the past decade, and we are getting outpaced year after year. We’re not attracting innovation and industry. We’re losing some of our best and brightest as they seek other parts of the country where it’s easier to make a living.
But together, we can reverse this trend.
At Yankee Institute, we know Connecticut is a state with boundless opportunity, and we intend to help make our state more than a place where people are just able to make ends meet! Connecticut should be a place where everyone can thrive – and with your help, it will be.