AFT's Weingarten and AFT-CT's Hochadel on Connecticut Budget

WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel on the budget passed in the Connecticut House on May 13

AFT President Randi Weingarten: “Gov. Malloy’s budget, passed today with the help of Democrats in the Legislature, is shameful. Rather than ask Connecticut’s wealthiest to pay their fair share, they’re laying off dedicated public employees and slashing services working people rely on. At a time when the national conversation is focused on creating a fairer economy, it’s simply wrong for Connecticut’s legislators to pass this kind of anti-worker, pro-corporate budget. Make no mistake, this budget is hurting the services that all Connecticut residents need and deserve.”

AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel: “Our members began reaching out to their lawmakers and urging rejection of this bad state budget package last week. It was already poised to harm Connecticut’s quality of life by slashing state-funded services and eliminating rape crisis counselors, probation officers, nurses and thousands more state employees. By including changes to future budget calculations that willfully ignore the realities of inflation and cost increases, this is a job-killing budget for local communities too. The consequences for towns and schools will be severe—gutting public education and health and safety services, and laying off thousands more local teachers, first responders and road repair workers.”