January 9, 2009 - Budget Suggestions

• Eliminate bonuses for management and get rid of Rowland/Rell appointees to jobs lost by layoffs in 2003.
• Close up the Governor’s mansion and get rid of the Governor’s driver. 
• Stop hiring so many consultants – cost more to do the same work done by state employees.
• Allow for Sunday and/or holiday liquor sales and extending hours beyond 9 pm (to 12 am) to increase sales and liquor tax revenue for the state.  Also allow casinos to sell alcohol on premises 24 hours and 7 days a week.
• Reduce the deficit by allowing massage therapists to do 15 minute chair massages for employees on their breaks and during lunch – give a portion of the money collected to the state to help with the deficit.  Beyond helping with the deficit, this would help the under-employed (massage therapists) and provide workers with a relaxing massage.
• Eliminate longevity payments and freeze salaries for the next 3 years.
• Give all government workers an extra 2 days off every month with no pay.
• Decriminalize marijuana – allow for medicinal purposes and collect taxes on it purchase.  Create a tax stamp for these packages – anyone caught with a bag of marijuana without the stamp should face harsher penalties than someone caught with a bag with a stamp.
• Garnish the wages of prisoners to have them pay for their crime.
• Enforce online sales taxes more aggressively.
• Increase tax credits for incoming businesses – one of the best ways to attract new commercial industries to the state.  Also, increase the tax credits for the film industry.
• Switch to a 4-day work week. 
• Reconsider the artificial turf project costing $500,000 – makes no logical sense in this economy.
• Change the sales tax from 6 to 7% - there are already food and clothing exemptions to protect lower income people from having to pay more for necessities.  For those with disposal income – a 1% increase in the sales tax is not going to change their spending habits.
• Bring a low cost airline (AirTran or Southwest) to Bradley to help drive costs down for businesses in CT. 
• Have schools throughout the state utilize a common set of technology/software for posting homework and assignments, communication with teachers, grades, etc.  Enhance classroom learning with the use of technology our youth will need for future jobs. It is not cost effective to having every system utilizing different technologies. 
• Freeze longevity payments until the state budget is no longer in crisis – this alone would save millions.  Use money saved to help employees keep their jobs. 
• Pass a law that allows police to question all out of state drivers waiting for school buses where they live – the law should allow the police to issue a summons to the driver, requiring that individual to appear at the local DMV to justify their registration, or register in CT.  If their children are attending CT schools then the parents should be paying CT taxes.