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Alliance Members Join Speaker Donovan to Protect CT's Jobs

Date: 
February, 2010
Abstract: 
Kathy Queen of the CT Early Childhood Alliance spoke at a January press conference, alongside Speaker Christopher Donovan, discussing what the Governor's proposed budget mitigation of November 2009 would have done to her center. At her center alone, it would have meant the loss of 30 kids, jeopordizing the 100 child program. It would also mean low-income parents of the children at her center, who are trying very hard to be self-sufficient, would have to leave their jobs to care for their kids.
Author: 
Jessica Ciparelli, CT Early Childhood Alliance

 

 

Alliance leadership member Kathy Queen took to the podium at a Jan. 11 news briefing, shortly after a veto session scheduled in the House of Representatives. The House did not have the votes to override the Governor's veto of their most recent deficit mitigation plan, however, it was important to stress the differences between what the Governor had proposed and what the Democratic majority had proposed – and the main difference was jobs.

 

Queen, Executive Director of Wallingford Community Day Care Center, was joined by representatives from hospitals, towns and municipalities, early care and education advocates, school-based health clinics and community action groups to rally around saving jobs in this already tense job market.

 

“We do understand the state's budget crisis,” said Queen. “But our children are not expendable.”

 

House Speaker Christopher Donovan (D-Meriden) and House Majority Leader Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield) said the Democrats remain committed to creating and saving jobs in 2010. However, Donovan said, it is clear the Governor would rather protect people with wealthy estates over people in need with her veto of the Legislature's bill to delay a cut in the estate tax

 

“The key to economic recovery is jobs,” said Donovan. “The Governor would rather give a tax break to wealthy estates than save 5,000 jobs.”

 

Opposing the Governor's budget deficit mitigation plan because of those job cuts, Donovan said “we can balance the budget without those job cuts – we will find ways to make savings.”

 

Meriden Mayor Michael Rohde urged lawmakers to hold the line to ill-conceived cuts to towns and their residents who have already been impacted so deeply by the current recession.

 “We can't balance the budget on the backs of cities and towns,” he said. “Let's develop a sensible plan.”  

James Gatling, President and CEO of New Opportunities, Inc., said his Waterbury organization has seen a record increase in the number of requests for energy assistance – as much as 45%.

 

“People who never came to the agency now need basic services,” he said. “Energy assistance is bursting at the seams. We stand with [Speaker] Donovan to continue to fight these cuts.”

 

“At my own center, the cuts proposed by the Governor in November would have eliminated about 30 kids, placing our entire program of 100 kids in jeopardy,” Queen said. “Their parents are low-wage workers trying to be self-sufficient. They would have been forced to leave their jobs. On behalf of the members of the CT Early Childhood Alliance, state-funded centers and the children and families across the state, thank you.”

 

“These are programs that keep people working,” acknowledged Rep. Merrill.

 

“Governor, I just don't understand – why would you cut 5,000 jobs and would rather give a tax break to wealthy estates?” asked Donovan. He noted that the delay in the tax break for wealthy estates would have cut $70 million from the current deficit projections. Governor Rell has presented four different deficit mitigation plans and issued five rounds of rescissions thus far. A fifth mitigation plan has not yet been presented.