AFSCME Connecticut Members Protest State Budget Plan

May 02, 2011

More than 2,500 protesters rallied at the state Capitol in Hartford on Sunday to speak out against a budget plan that seeks to extract $2 billion in takeaways from state workers to close a budget gap for the upcoming fiscal year. The "Enough is Enough" rally stressed that middle class Americans are in trouble, squeezed by the tough economy, rising prices and efforts to balance the budget on the backs of working families.

Participants called on lawmakers to ask the wealthy to pay their fair share to help solve the state's budget problems. "I don't think we have a spending problem. This country has a revenue problem. They are trying to generate revenue off the backs of the working guy and the poor people by taking things away," said one union member present at the rally.

The protests were timely as the state Senate plans to take a vote on the 2-year, $40 billion budget proposal today. The House is expected to vote on the budget Tuesday. AFSCME activists will continue to push for a budget that includes adequate revenue to protect vital public services from the massive cuts contained in the current plan.