HARTFORD, Conn. -- Frustrated by the persistent state budget impasse, Democrats made an 11th-hour pitch Wednesday for the necessity of concessions from state employee unions. þþDemocratic legislative leaders presented their Republicans colleagues with the rough framework for a possible wage and benefit concession package they want Republican Gov. John G. Rowland to negotiate with union leaders. þþGiven the estimated $100 million to $200 million gap that continues to stymie Democrats and Republicans, keeping them from reaching a deal on a two-year budget, the leaders said wage and benefit givebacks would provide a financial boost to the negotiations. þþÿWe are at a moment where the process doesn't want to seem to budge,ÿ said Senate President Pro Tem Kevin Sullivan, D-West Hartford. þþBoth Sullivan and Speaker of the House Moira Lyons, D-Stamford, met privately with Dan Livingston, the chief negotiator for the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, or SEBAC, on Wednesday to discuss possible labor concession ideas. þþBut neither the governor nor Republican legislative leaders appeared impressed by the proposal, questioning whether it would really save the state money. þþMarc Ryan, Rowland's budget chief, said Democrats offered no new ideas and questioned whether SEBAC would agree to what they proposed. þþÿI don't see anything new here. There is no reason to make this a part of the debate,ÿ Ryan said. ÿThe Democrats right now feel that's a silver bullet. It's not a silver bullet.ÿ þþEarlier in the day, Rowland said any concession package would have to provide more savings than the $300 million he said the state gains from an early retirement package and the earlier layoffs of 2,800 state workers. þþAlso, any promises of no future layoffs _ something the unions would surely demand in return for concessions _ must be matched with future savings, such as permanent wage freezes. Rowland said no one knows how the economy will perform years from now. þþÿYou can't tie your hands four years from now without having savings built in,ÿ Rowland said. þþTalks broke off months ago between the administration and SEBAC. Rowland has accused the unions of being unwilling to offer lasting givebacks while the unions accuse him of being inflexible and unwilling to consider their offer of a one-year wage freeze and changes in health insurance benefits. þþÿI believe that people on both sides of the aisle, if you speak with them privately, believe that state workers should be part of the solution and recognize we've made an offer that is more than fair,ÿ Livingston said. ÿThe question is, will the members of the General Assembly, particularly the Republicans, have the courage to stand up for what they know is true.ÿ þþRowland cautioned lawmakers not to include what he called ÿphantom labor savings,ÿ an estimated amount of money that possible union concessions might deliver, in any budget agreement. He said the unions wouldn't negotiate for those savings anyway. þþÿI think what they're doing is, they're looking for a rainbow,ÿ Rowland said of the Democrats. ÿThey're looking for some magical $100 million that will appear from the skies. It's not that easy.ÿ þþBudget talks are scheduled to resume Thursday. þþAlso Wednesday, a group of activists rallied outside the Legislative Office Building to oppose a tentative proposal to send an additional 2,000 Connecticut inmates to out-of-state jails. þþLawmakers and Rowland are discussing the idea as a way to save money and help alleviate prison crowding. In exchange, money would be invested in alternative incarceration programs. They also want to reduce the number of people serving time for minor parole and probation violations. þþBut Barbara Fair, a member of the New Haven-based People Against Injustice said she doesn't believe the reforms will happen. She said the state will just ship out the prisoners. þþAbout 500 Connecticut inmates are serving time in Virginia. þþþ
Source: Newsday.com
