Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says Connecticut cannot sustain the wage, health care and pension benefits awarded to state employees and it’s time to begin discussing labor concessions, The Associated Press reports.
The new Democratic governor, who addressed a joint session of the General Assembly on Wednesday, unveiled his two-year, nearly $40 billion budget that calls for $2 billion in labor savings and concessions.
Malloy ticked off some savings ideas, such as moving state employees to a health benefits package like the one covering federal employees. He says that would save about $300 million over two years. Three more furlough days over two years would save $80 million.
Malloy says the cost-savings suggestions made by state employees so far are not enough to cover the state’s projected $3.2 billion deficit beginning July 1.
