Hartford is at it Again... How about an Adequate-Time-To-Read-Legislation Act?

State lawmakers will be back at The State Capitol tomorrow, Tuesday, June 12, for a special session to vote on “implementer” bills that will determine exactly how the money appropriated for the coming fiscal year (starting July 1) will be spent.  

The General Assembly is a part-time body. Most representatives and senators have regular full-time jobs separate from their legislative duties. Therefore it is insane that they did not receive two of the bills they will be voting on until today June 11 at 2:30 p.m., and one of the bills alone is 393 pages long.

The leadership allowing members less than 24 hours to read, digest and ask questions before voting as to how billions of dollars will be spent, is outrageous. However, what is worse is that uninformed votes happen as a matter of course. How can that be? Simple, lifetime politicians and bureaucrats run the government and they feel entitled to spend our money as if it were theirs. Arranging to vote in the dark is the easiest way to hide waste, abuse, pet projects etc.

Fortunately, newly elected (2010) representatives are shining the light on some of the more egregious practices so prevalent in Hartford. However, they are in the minority. The career politicians have the power and they have a stake to keep it “business as usual”.  

Therefore, it is up to you, the voter, the taxpayer, to send a message to Hartford, which is so loud even the deaf will hear it. It is our money, and we do not like how you are spending it.