Hypocricy at the Top

As Gov. Rell delivers her budget address today, stressing how hard times are right now and advocating budget and program cuts across the board, it will be very hard for me to ignore the fact that she's rewarded her own staff with pay raises this year--as reported in this morning's Waterbury Republican-American. The governor will try to establish a relationship in her speech with her struggling constituency, especially those who have been laid off or whose income has been frozen. But she clearly believes her own people are above such realities and that they deserve special consideration in these difficult days. Speaking on behalf of only one business entity out here in the state, I can say that we will have no raises this year and our company contributions to our 401(k) plans have been discontinued. Don't try to express solidarity with us, governor. Your true nature--and your disregard for the people who elected you--was revealed the day you quietly put these raises into effect.