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Lamont is Paying State Employees $1 Billion More Than Malloy – Talking with Lee Elci on News Now, 94.9FM


Talking with Lee Elci on News Now, 94.9FM

Lee Elci: I believe we’re being joined by our good friend, Red Jahncke. Though, as always, technology sometimes gets in the way. Red, are you there?

Red Jahncke: I think I’m here.

Lee Elci: There we go! We’re in business. How are you?

Red Jahncke: Good, Lee. Happy New Year—it’s official now.

Lee Elci: Happy New Year to you too! We missed Christmas and New Year’s together. I hope you had a great holiday.

Red Jahncke: Yeah, we did. I went down to Philadelphia—it was wonderful.

Lee Elci: Welcome back. I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been talking about this all day—since January 6th was on Monday. There are still reports of people being held without trial. Some claim they haven’t even been charged yet. What’s your take on this situation?

Red Jahncke: Anyone held without charges is a clear violation of the Constitution—it’s entirely unjust. They should be released immediately. As for the broader situation, I think many innocent people got caught up in something they never intended to participate in. Things just spiraled out of control. I’m sure President-elect Trump will pardon some of them. However, those who led or planned the attack on the Capitol shouldn’t be pardoned or released. That’s my stance.

Lee Elci: Fair enough. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Let’s switch gears—today marks the opening of the legislative session. I figured you’d be out there waving a flag that says, “Lower State Employee Pay.” Were you?

Red Jahncke: You know the mantra by now, right? Can you repeat it?

Lee Elci: You go ahead—give it to us.

Red Jahncke: Thirty-three percent.

Lee Elci: Oh, yes.

Red Jahncke: State employees, under Governor Ned Lamont, have received a 33% wage increase, which amounts to an additional billion dollars across the workforce. And that’s just within the executive branch—not everyone on the state payroll. To put it in perspective, state wages have risen from $3.4 billion in 2018 to $4.5 billion for fiscal year 2024. Calling this unsustainable is an understatement.

Lee Elci: I think you have a new column about this on the-red-line.com, right?

Red Jahncke: Yes, indeed. Senate Republican leadership is advocating for a two-year wage freeze.

Lee Elci: Right.

Red Jahncke: It’s essential to recognize that the private economy powers the state. We need a government that matches our needs, not an overcompensated one taking on tasks that aren’t necessary. That’s the situation in Connecticut right now.

Lee Elci: With Democrats in control of everything, do you think there’s any chance of reversing this trend? Can they really move this boulder uphill?

Red Jahncke: Yes, and you know, one Democrat aligns with what I’ve been advocating. Senate leadership now has a champion.

Lee Elci: Who?

Red Jahncke: Democrat Daniel Malloy.

Lee Elci: Oh, okay.

Red Jahncke: Malloy imposed three annual wage freezes. This isn’t about Republicans versus progressive Democrats—it’s about doing what’s right for the state on a nonpartisan or bipartisan basis. The current compensation structure is both unfair and unsustainable.

Lee Elci: Red Jahncke is our guest, joining us as he does every Wednesday. You can find more at the-red-line.com. He’s been banging the drum about the 33% wage increase for state employees for months now, trying to get Hartford’s politicians to pay attention. And now, as you mentioned, Daniel Malloy is on your side. That’s a significant development. So, is there anything else you want to highlight today? Obviously, it’s a ceremonial day. Do you think there’s any real chance these folks will act, or is it just more of the same?

Red Jahncke: It’s the Republicans’ job to make their case in the media and to voters. If Governor Ned Lamont awards another wage increase, he shouldn’t run for a third term. Republicans need to emphasize that piling another increase on top of the 33% is unacceptable. This session should serve as a platform to make that clear. Come the next election, voters will need to remember the “gravy train” he’s extended for state employees while leaving the rest of us behind. And that’s just wages. The entire contract, including benefits, is up for consideration. Studies consistently show Connecticut’s state employee healthcare benefits are the most generous nationwide. One study, from the liberal Georgetown University, found that state employees here pay, on average, only 2% of their medical bills. Ask your listeners—how many of them only pay 2%?

Lee Elci: I know I don’t. Not even close. Let me ask you this—you’re a popular guy. A lot of folks visit your website and read your columns. You’ve been vocal about this issue for a long time. Do you get much backlash from state employees?

Red Jahncke: Honestly, no. They know what I’m saying is true, and they can’t refute it. I don’t hear from them because there’s no argument against the facts.

Lee Elci: Interesting. All right, Red Jahncke from the-red-line.com, thank you as always. Anything else you want to touch on today, or is that it for day one of the session?

Red Jahncke: Well, on day one, we’re going to hear from Governor Lamont about economic growth. He’s cherry-picking data from the third quarter of 2024 when Connecticut’s growth rate nearly matched the national average for the first time in a decade. But if you look at the compound growth rate over several years, it’s nowhere near the national average.

Lee Elci: Right.

Red Jahncke: Let me pull this up on my computer screen… But for those interested, visit the-red-line.com. In the upper-right corner, you’ll find the Connecticut Scoreboard. It highlights the compound real economic growth in our state—less than 1% over the last few years.

Lee Elci: So, nothing to brag about, essentially.

Red Jahncke: I’d encourage everyone to visit the-red-line.com. In the upper right-hand corner, you’ll find the Connecticut Scoreboard. It highlights the compound real economic growth over the last three to five years in this state—it’s less than 1%.

Lee Elci: So, essentially, he has nothing to brag about today?

Red Jahncke: Exactly. He cherry-picked data from the third quarter of last year and will likely boast about it as much as possible. Meanwhile, he’s conveniently ignoring the other four years and nine months left out of the calculation.

Lee Elci: Well, he’s going to run again.

Red Jahncke: That gives us plenty of time to remind voters that he’s been overcompensating state employees. The real issue, Lee, is that progressives who want to increase spending on social services don’t understand the real constraints. The “guardrails” they complain about aren’t the problem—they just set the overall limit on available funds.

Lee Elci: And once that limit is set?

Red Jahncke: Then it becomes a matter of deciding where the money goes. Right now, an extra billion dollars is being spent on state employee pay. If progressives want to fund their social programs, they’ll need to address excessive state employee compensation. That’s the source of their funding shortfall.

Lee Elci: Any final thoughts before we wrap up?

Red Jahncke: That’s all for today.

Lee Elci: Great work, Red. Keep it up. We appreciate you, and we’ll catch up next time.

Red Jahncke: Thanks, Lee. Happy New Year again.

Lee Elci: And to you as well! the-red-line.co folks.

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