Our Common Sense Commitment.
The bonds of trust between State Government and its people have been broken.The citizens of Connecticut deserve a State Government that is resident-friendly, provides exceptional service and operates in a more efficient and effective manner.
Our State Government is too big, too intrusive and too quick to spend the public’s money. We need a State Government that stops taking from us and starts working for us. Connecticut is at a crossroads. We can go back to the business-as-usual, one-party legislative control approach or, together, we can recover, reform and reinvent the way our State works.
As Connecticut Republicans, we commit to work with you to change the direction of our State. In this era of one-party legislative rule in Connecticut, we offer to the public, with full transparency and no fine print, our governing principles: “Common-Sense Commitment to Connecticut.”
We, the undersigned, believe in one fundamental premise: our State needs leaders with common sense and a dedication to the belief that we all prosper from shared responsibility, hard work and honesty. Together we can get Connecticut to work again. We as legislators are prepared to not only put forth, but to fight for, the following principles and policies:
SPEND NO MORE THAN YOU MAKE
Government Policy:
Reduce spending to what we can reasonably anticipate in revenue without assessing new taxes.
Abide by the constitutional spending cap.
THE MORE GOVERNMENT TRIES TO DO, THE LESS IT DOES WELL
Government Policy:
Focus on core government functions: Public safety, education, transportation, public health.
Strive for excellence in each government function.
Privatize non-core functions.
BORROW ONLY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO PAY BACK
Government Policy:
Cap bonding levels which result in a debt service of no more than 10% of the annual budget.
Borrowing should be restricted for public works projects, including school construction, roads and rails, serving the greater public good and creating jobs for Connecticut workers.
Eliminate earmarks. Fund all projects by competitive grant to be awarded based upon measured return on investment i.e., job creation/economic development
IF IT’S NOT BROKEN, DON’T FIX IT. BUT IF IT’S NOT WORKING, GET RID OF IT
Government Policy:
All State Government programs must be results-based with a 2-year period of review. If it is not achieving stated results, the program is eliminated. If achieving results, it continues for 2 more years
WE SHOULD HAVE ALL THE GOVERNMENT WE NEED, BUT ONLY THE GOVERNMENT WE NEED
Government Policy:
Consolidate government services to eliminate duplication, excess and waste