WHEREAS:

            The U.S. economy is still suffering from the harm done during the Reagan-Bush years that took its toll on working men and women with production cuts, job losses, wage reductions and decreased consumer spending; and

WHEREAS:

            State and local governments are also still recovering from the most severe fiscal crisis since the Great Depression; and

WHEREAS:

            Throughout the 1980's, the Administration and Congress have squeezed the budgets of state and local governments in an ever-tightening fiscal vise by reducing federal support approximately 40 percent while requiring additional public services; and

WHEREAS:

            Governors and legislators had to close fiscal short falls in order to balance their current budgets; and

WHEREAS:

            Since state and local governments cannot run operating deficits, any actions they take to meet the fiscal crisis by either increasing taxes or spending cuts, will end up being a further drag on the national economy; and

WHEREAS:

            Any continuation of economic recovery and prevention of new decline will require government action to restore confidence by taking immediate action which strengthens vital services and reemploys laid off workers; and

WHEREAS:

            The United States also has a large and growing deficit in public investment — including child development, training and education, public infrastructure, environmental protection and civilian research and development. Declining public investment has been clearly linked to the slowdown in national productivity and competitiveness. The only way to reduce the budget deficit without simultaneously hurting the economy is with a fiscal stimulus that invests in people and the economy.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME supports a fiscal stimulus-jobs program to make the economy grow again; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That we must address the growing public investment deficit, including child development, training and education, public infrastructure, environmental protection and civilian research and development; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

                        That AFSCME opposes one-sided, mindless efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit without addressing the public investment deficit.

SUBMITTED BY:

Dominic J Badolato, President and Delegate
AFSCME Local 1303, Council 4 
Connecticut