Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Tax Breaks For Healthy Living

We need to change the debate on healthcare in Connecticut. We need to begin to focus on reducing the escalating cost of healthcare—which will benefit the middle class who is squeezed by increasing premiums and those who are uninsured because healthcare insurance is so expensive. The best way to reduce cost is also the best way to save lives—detecting disease before it happens. We need to get more focus on prevention and early detection for the most deadly and costly diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

The Senate Republicans’ “Tax Breaks For Healthy Living” initiative a great start to transforming our approach to healthcare. This proposed legislation would allow individuals and families who meet preventative care guidelines established by the state Department of Public Health to deduct out of pocket medical expenses – including premiums, co-pays and deductibles – from their state income tax.

Qualifying for the tax break would be easy—going to the doctor for your physical, and getting all the preventative tests suitable for your age and gender (e.g., mammograms, prostate exams). Doctors would qualify families by ensuring that they had all the preventative care screenings recommended– and then sign a one-page certification form to be included when they file their state income taxes.

This proposal will mean hundreds of dollars of tax breaks for the average family in Connecticut. But more importantly, it will save lives and lower healthcare costs for everyone. Catching cancer and heart disease earlier is sure to improve survival rates (which should be the focus of any healthcare proposal). But catching these diseases early reduces treatment cost by 80-90%, which would save hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient. One study states that if we can catch just 25% of disease cases earlier, we can reduce healthcare costs by $2 billion in Connecticut.

If we could pass $2 billion in lower healthcare insurance costs to consumers, that is a win for every Connecticut family. For those of us with insurance, we would stop having healthcare take an increasing portion of our families’ budgets. For those of us without insurance, we would be able to better afford basic insurance such as Governor Rell’s Charter Oak Plan.

This tax deduction would be the first of its kind in the United States. Connecticut has the opportunity to take the lead in improving the health of our families and reducing cost in healthcare, and I hope this becomes part of the upcoming budget.

More Funding for Communty Providers

Community providers -- organizations which provide services and supports for children and adults with disabilities and special needs -- provide excellent care and deserve to be fairly compensated for their work. We have failed, time and time again to accommodate these providers with realistic monetary increases that will allow them to continue to provide services to a community in need.

The Human Services Committee has proposed the creation of a Community Provider Rescue Fund Account And Community-Based Services Commission. The creation of this account, properly funded, coupled with the commission on community based services, will give the legislature a clear picture of the need for a constant revenue stream for these providers and a framework for solutions.

We have a responsibility to all of our citizens; this includes those who receive services from community providers and those who provide them. A cost of living adjustment should not be a policy decision or a negotiating chit in the budget. We owe it to our providers to adequately fund their services.

Ethics and State Government

Public office is a public trust. During the past decade, that public trust has been betrayed time and again by elected officials and state employees who believed they were above the law. Yesterday I testified before the Government Administration and Elections Committee about the Senate Republican Caucus’ ethics agenda.

We have proposed creating a Bipartisan Standing Committee on Ethics; giving judges the power to revoke or reduce the pensions of corrupt public officials and state employees; establishing a criminal penalty for elected officials who fail to report a bribe; requiring ethics training for state elected and appointed officials and state employees; establishing new restrictions for state officials who lobby legislators; and prohibiting legislators from serving as municipal chief elected officials.

At the start of the legislative session, I presented this agenda to Senate President Pro Tem Don Williams and I am encouraged by the broad bipartisan support most of our proposals have received.

The General Assembly faces several important challenges this legislative session as we work to improve public safety, increase access to quality affordable health care, and help Connecticut residents cope with rising energy costs and a slowing economy. But, in order for state government to achieve its goals in any of these areas, it is vital we take the steps necessary to restore trust and public confidence in our elected officials.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Prison Incidents Raise Flag on Need for More Prison Guards

In the wake of this past weekend’s fighting incidents at two state prisons, the legislature must pass a measure that would increase the staffing levels at all of Connecticut’s correctional facilities. Three fights between inmates at the Enfield Correctional Institution in Enfield and one fight at the Osbourne Correctional Facility in Somers should send a message to the legislature that prison staffing levels need to be addressed during the current legislative session.

While there is no indication that these incidents are related, it does shed light on how difficult and dangerous the jobs of those who keep watch over our state’s prison inmates really are. That is why I have proposed legislation this year that would increase staffing levels at all of our state’s prisons. Connecticut’s prison population has increased in recent months, and we need to be certain that our corrections officers have the appropriate tools available to them to ensure safety. The absolute first step in that process is to make sure these facilities are adequately staffed.

more>>

Friday, February 15, 2008

Protecting Connecticut’s Economic Future

Connecticut is a wonderful place to live and work, but our success depends on our ability to hold the line against excessive government spending, and to institute long-term structural changes to our tax code that will strengthen our economy by attracting and retaining businesses and creating new jobs. Connecticut residents, families and businesses -- already saddled with some of the highest taxes in the country, transportation challenges and burdensome regulations -- are now also coping with the rising costs of energy and health care. As a result, business growth is slowing, unemployment rates are increasing, inflation is outpacing wages, and the average Connecticut worker at every income level earned less in 2006 than in 2002.

We must act now to restructure our government policies in a way that encourages economic growth through job creation.

more >>

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Senate Republican Jobs Proposal

As part of our long term plan to grow the state’s economy and improve our business climate, the Senate Republican Caucus is introducing a series of legislative proposals this year.

Our pro-jobs legislative package calls for expanding the 2007 Jobs Creation Tax Credit to benefit all businesses, and eliminate the need for businesses to first secure approval from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DECD). Under our proposal, the credit would be applied annually to every net new job created. This new law would take effect on July 1st and make the credit applicable to income years beginning on or after January 1, 2008.

Also, Senate Republicans are calling for the legislature to repeal the annual $250 business entity tax, and to require DECD to conduct a cost/benefit analysis of all new and existing regulations every five years. And, finally, Senate Republicans are introducing legislation to promote “next generation” industries by extending the movie industry tax credit to industries that are likely to provide jobs for Connecticut’s middle-class working families. Targeted industries could include alternative energy, environmental remediation, optics and photonics, life sciences devices and nanotechnology. Companies that have not yet made a profit would be able to trade their tax credits to profitable Connecticut companies.