Rep. Belsito Calls for Greater Concessions for State Employees

From the Office of State Rep. Sam Belsito: State Rep. Sam Belsito spoke out against the state employee concession deal on the House floor on Wednesday during a special session of the General Assembly. The deal, brokered between Governor Malloy and union bosses, was rubber stamped by the Democrat majority by a 76 to 72 vote.

“When are we going to stop doing business as usual?” said Rep. Belsito. “This agreement between the governor and union bosses is a bad deal for all Connecticut residents. The approval of this agreement will only cause greater problems down the road and prevents future lawmakers from making real structural changes.”

The state employee agreement prevents layoffs for another four years, extends the SEBAC deal from 2022 from 2027, and only increases contributions towards pensions by 2%.

Rep. Belsito said he agrees with some of the deal, but it doesn’t go far enough.

The House Republican concession proposal would end the contract in 2022, eliminate longevity pay, align health care coverage with the private sector, and ask all state employees to contribute 6% towards their pensions beginning in 2022. Newly hired employees would go on a Defined Contribution Plan.

Earlier in the day, the House Republican Caucus made an unprecedented move by making a motion to amend the rules of the special session to give the legislature the ability to bring forward a budget for a vote. The motion was rejected on a party-line vote of 77 to 71.

The House Republican Caucus has a fully vetted no-tax-increase budget proposal, but the Speaker of the House has continually ignored the GOP proposal.

A side-by-side chart comparing the House Republican concession proposal and the Democrats’ SEBAC agreement can be viewed here. The balanced no-tax-increase budget proposal by the House Republicans can be viewed here.

Image via the Office of State Rep. Sam Belsito