SPIRITED RALLY TO PROTEST GOV. RELL'S CUTS

[Photo above: Part of the crowd at the rally today to oppose Gov. Rell's latest budget cuts. Click on the picture for full screen]

Hundreds rallied today at the state capitol to protest Gov. Rell's latest budget cuts and proposed budget cuts. It is past time to TAX THE RICH and to save jobs and stop cuts to vital services for working people and vulnerable groups. Some of Gov. Rell's cuts include:

* The programs were eliminated that produce 60% of all Connecticut's Licensed Practical Nurses. [LPN] Gov. Rell cut these programs despite projections that the state will need 13-16% more LPNs by 2016. The Connecticut Department of Labor cites Licensed Practical Nurse as one of the "middle-skill" jobs that the state should foster to rebuild the state workforce and meet the growing need for home health and nursing home care.

* Providers of long-term care services have determined that, at a conservative estimate, a 2% cut in Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing homes would result in a loss of 500-600 in that heath care sector alone.

This year Gov. Rell offered huge tax incentives to Pratt and Whitney to try to keep jobs in Connecticut. In 2006, she strongly opposed Franklin Farms' decision to move 360 jobs to Pennsylvania yet her budget priorities slash Connecticut jobs in the public and private non-profit sectors. These actions will destabilize our economy at the very time we need more jobs, not fewer.

Photos of the rally follows:

[Photo above: Carmen Boudier, President of 1199, rallies the crowd]

[Photo above: The crowd circled the state capitol pausing at Gov. Rell's office window to demand she stop cutting state programs that cost jobs and hurt working people and vulnerable groups.]

[Photo above: Sal Luciano, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 4, blasts Gov. Rell's cuts to the state budget.]

[Photo above: Some of the members of the Peoples Center from New Haven and Hartford that joined the rally.]

[Photo above: Metthew Barrett, Director of the Connecticut Association of Healthcare Providers, pledges continued support to stop the cuts that harm working people and vulnerable groups.]

Other photos:


Posted by Tom Connolly