Latest news with #Nuccio
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Conn. State Police contract: House approves raises for troopers
The Connecticut State Capitol on Jan. 7, 2025. (Photo by Shahrzad Rasekh/CT Mirror) HARTFORD, Conn. — The House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal that would grant Connecticut State Police troopers a 2.5% general wage hike and a step increase next fiscal year. The proposal, which is also expected to win approval in the Senate, passed 134-12 in the Democratic-controlled House, enjoying bipartisan support despite objections from GOP leaders. Legislators from both parties have lamented a state police force that's now about 25% smaller than the 1,200-plus troopers who served Connecticut prior to 2010. Democrats said the raises, which would affect an estimated 885 troopers, are essential to recruitment efforts. But both House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora, R-North Branford, and Rep. Tammy Nuccio, R-Tolland, argued against the raises. 'We're facing a collision course with a rather ugly truth' — that state employee compensation is becoming unsustainable, said Nuccio, who is the ranking House Republican on the Appropriations Committee. Nearly all unionized workers have received a 2.5% general wage hike and a step, which typically adds another 2 percentage points to the raise, each fiscal year since 2021-22. Gov. Ned Lamont's administration, which negotiated the wage deal with the troopers, also is bargaining new contracts with all other major state employee unions. And it would be difficult for state officials to convince labor arbiters that Connecticut could not afford effective 4.5% annual increases for other state employees if the legislature approves one for troopers. The House GOP proposed a $54.4 billion biennial budget earlier this month that counts on more than $300 million in savings over the next two fiscal years by freezing pay for all workers. Candelora said troopers earn an average of $116,000 per year in base pay, but compensation rises to $175,000 per year once overtime is considered. 'There's no amount of pay that's going to be able to recruit more officers,' he said. The solution, Candelora added, involves criminal justice reforms that give officers greater legal protection when performing searches or pulling over motorists on the highway. 'What they really need is our support,' he said. 'They need real criminal justice reform.' Despite Nuccio and Candelora's arguments, 35 of the 47 Republicans who cast ballots in Tuesday's joined 99 Democrats in supporting the raises. Andrew Matthews, executive director of the state police union and a former president, noted before a legislative panel earlier this month that union concessions packages have weakened retirement benefits for troopers. Before 2011, a trooper was eligible for a hazardous duty pension based on the three highest annual salaries of a minimum 20 years of service. Now Connecticut requires 25 years of service that offers a hybrid pension/401(k) benefit calculated on average wages over the entire 25-year span. But Matthews also said workers deserve the raises in the deal and more. 'It's a dangerous job,' he said at the time, adding that 26 troopers have died in the line of duty and that post-traumatic stress injuries are 'a real thing' many troopers face. The legislature's nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis estimated the agreement would cost state government nearly $4.1 million next fiscal year. Municipalities that participate in the resident state trooper program would collectively incur an added cost of $301,675 next fiscal year, nonpartisan analysts estimated. This article first appeared on CT Mirror and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CT lawmakers approve 2.5% raises for CT state police; Republicans say money's not the problem
State troopers and sergeants would receive 2.5% wage increases on July 1 under an agreement approved Tuesday by the state House of Representatives. The House voted 134 to 12 with all negative votes coming from Republicans after a relatively brief debate at the state Capitol in Hartford. The measure still needs approval by the 36-member state Senate. House Republicans were split on the matter as their caucus has called for a two-year wage freeze for state employees in order to balance the state budget currently being negotiated as the regular legislative session's June 4 adjournment approaches. Overall, 35 House Republicans voted for the raises, 12 were opposed, and two were absent. All Democrats present voted in favor. The agreement, reached with Gov. Ned Lamont's administration, covers about 880 troopers, sergeants and master sergeants who are in the troopers' union. The total cost of the deal is about $4.4 million in each of the next two fiscal years, and the money has already been set aside in the reserve for salaries account. The raises were part of a fourth-year 'reopener' under a four-year contract that provided 2.5% raises in each of the first three years, officials said. Lamont said that 'our state troopers deserve salaries that reflect the essential work they provide to our state and can help recruit more officers to serve in these positions.' He added, 'Ensuring the safety of our residents requires us to invest in state troopers and their families. I am glad that the majority of lawmakers in the House supported it, and I urge the Senate to join them in approving the plan.' State Rep. Tammy Nuccio, the ranking member of the budget-writing appropriations committee, expressed concerns about the long-term costs of funding the state police operations, including extensive overtime. On an average week, the force of 900 state troopers is doing a combined 5,000 hours per week in overtime, chiefly due to staffing shortages, Nuccio said. Nuccio, whose daughter and future son-in-law are both troopers, voted in favor of the contract Tuesday after voting against the measure at the committee level. The top concern for troopers, Nuccio said, is not their salaries but instead is being able to do their jobs properly. That includes having more freedom to chase suspects in their cars and to perform 'consent searches' that were restricted in the police accountability bill after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, Nuccio said. 'I've talked to a lot of troopers in my time, and I will tell you this — not a single one of them says the way to go out and recruit more people to be troopers is a 2.5% wage increase,' Nuccio said. 'They want an accountable legal system that when they arrest somebody for crimes, they're actually going to get prosecuted for it and put away for the amount of time that they should be so they're not arresting the same people dozens of times.' She said it is not fair to be 'penalizing them for the actions of a terrible officer in Minneapolis.' House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford, who voted against the pay raises, questioned whether the raises are an effective recruitment tool because he sees no changes in the state police in recent years as the number of troopers — around 900 — has remained essentially the same. 'We did this two years ago and the numbers have not changed,' Candelora said of the contract. 'There's no amount of pay that is going to be able to recruit more officers. … There is no longer a written test for state troopers. … Pay isn't everything to individuals. It's also the quality of the workplace.' With overtime, many troopers are currently earning more than $175,000 per year, he said. 'So, why aren't they able to recruit?' Candelora asked on the House floor. 'We have tilted the scales on the side of the criminal. … I'm frustrated on this side of the aisle.' Candelora added, 'What they really need is our support. We need criminal justice reform.' A key factor in the state police budget is the amount of money spent on overtime. The latest statistics from the state comptroller's office show that the state spent $378 million for overtime during the 2024 calendar year across nearly 50 departments in state government. The highest amounts were in the state prison system with $113 million in overtime, followed by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services at $62 million and the state police at $60 million, according to the records. Among the top 25 individuals with the most overtime, 17 work for the state police, while six work in mental health facilities. The highest-paid was a state police dog handler, who received $439,000 overall for 2024, including the highest amount of overtime at $303,000. Through the years, he has handled dogs who search for fleeing suspects and missing persons at all hours of the day and night. The state legislature voted in 2023 for a new, four-year contract that provides annual pay raises for troopers because many would-be troopers have been recruited by municipal police departments. With the state police lagging behind some other departments, the trooper trainee salaries were increased by 35% over several years. The trainees are now earning $67,279, up from $50,000 in the past. Overtime has been an issue for years. While police and legislators often focus on starting pay for rookies, the amount earned by veteran officers is far higher. With overtime, more than 10 troopers were paid more than $300,000 in 2021, according to state records. More than 100 union members were paid more than $200,000 each, and a sergeant was paid more than $350,000 that year. Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Confirms our worst fears,' ‘Nothing too outlandish:' Connecticut lawmakers on federal Medicaid reductions
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut lawmakers offered their assessments of the plan released Sunday evening by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives that would see hundreds of billions in Medicaid spending reductions over the next decade. 'If confirms our worst fears,' State Sen. Matt Lesser, a Democrat who co-chairs the legislature's Human Services Committee, said. House Republicans unveil Medicaid cuts that Democrats warn will leave millions without care Lesser and other leading Democrats have raised alarm bells over an estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) which predicted the bill's provisions would cause 8.6 million people would lose their health coverage over the next decade. The CBO said that the plan would reduce the federal deficit by $715 billion in the next 10 years — fulfilling a significant portion of the House Republicans' goal to find $1.5 trillion in savings. Congressional Republicans are working in tandem with President Donald Trump to craft a 'big, beautiful' cost reduction plan accompanied by $4.5 trillion worth of tax cuts. Republicans in the Connecticut legislature pushed back on the Democrats' sense of alarm. 'I don't think anything that we see in this bill is too outlandish,' State Rep. Tammy Nuccio, the top Republican representative on the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, said. Nuccio said the bulk of the lost coverage would come as a result of new work requirements included in the GOP proposal. She said she generally supports such requirements. Nuccio, a senior member of the state House Republican caucus, also signaled support for a provision of the congressional Republicans' plan that would reduce overall Medicaid funding to states that provide health coverage to those in the country illegally. Connecticut is one of those states that would stand to lose if the plan goes into effect. Republicans have long criticized the Democratic-backed policy of extending the state's Medicaid program, called HUSKY, to many minors without legal status. The two parties also clashed over a provision of the GOP plan that would enact additional eligibility checks and income verification. Democrats like Lesser see it as a thinly-veiled attempt to force people off of their health coverage via bureaucratic red tape. 'What it's gonna mean is that the folks who brough you the Department of Government Efficiency are gonna be just saddling people with paperwork,' Lesser said. Nuccio fired back. 'I think if the state of Connecticut workers are doing their job and they're helping people make sure that they have their eligibility in, they're not gonna see a lot of people kicked off,' she said. The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) offered a blunt assessment of the bill. 'This is a bad bill for Connecticut hospitals and for our patients,' Paul Kidwell, CHA's senior vice president for policy, said. USDA funding cuts have harsh impact on Connecticut food pantries Kidwell zeroed in on a provision of the bill that would effectively cap the amount of federal Medicaid dollars that can flow into a state under a mechanism known as a provider tax. Most states utilize a provider tax to help boost their own Medicaid spending, which in turn leads to more federal dollars under the cost-sharing arrangement between states and the federal government that underlies the entire Medicaid system. Critics have characterized the provider tax as a loophole which allows hospitals and state governments to get more money from the federal government. Still, Kidwell said a freeze on the provider tax would mean less money for hospitals at a time when healthcare costs are rising and the rate at which providers are reimbursed for care under Medicaid has remained stagnant for years. 'When the state can't bring in those federal dollars to support Medicaid, hospitals and other providers have to go try to find those resources from other places,' Kidwell said. In other words: someone, perhaps those utilizing employer-based health plans, will end up footing the bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Commissioner says 2.5% pay raise needed to keep CT state troopers. GOP says state can't afford it
Connecticut state troopers and sergeants would receive 2.5% wage increases on July 1 under a deal approved Monday by a key legislative committee. The budget-writing appropriations committee voted overwhelmingly for two separate resolutions as lawmakers in the state House of Representatives and Senate voted separately. The Senate tally was unanimous as four Republicans voted with their Democratic colleagues in favor of the salary increase. House Republicans, however, largely voted against the package as they have called for a two-year wage freeze for state employees in order to balance the two-year state budget that is currently being negotiated as the regular legislative session's June 4 end approaches. The deal, reached with Gov. Ned Lamont's administration, covers about 880 troopers, sergeants and master sergeants who are in the troopers' union. The total cost of the deal is about $4.4 million in each of the next two fiscal years, and the money has already been set aside in the reserve for salary account. A key point, officials said, is that better salaries help recruitment of high-quality troopers. Public safety Commissioner Ronnell Higgins said that the state police currently compete with local municipal departments on salaries, adding that candidates from as far away as Georgia have come to Connecticut to work in law enforcement. 'Compensation is a way to attract qualified candidates,' Higgins told the budget committee in Hartford. 'It is also a way to keep those candidates as well.' Later, Higgins said, 'Connecticut state troopers are the most highly trained law enforcement officers in the state. This agreement between the state of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Police Union is another step forward in our effort to recruit and retain members of the state's largest police force.' Rep. Tammy Nuccio, the committee's ranking House Republican whose daughter is a state trooper, voted against the package as she was the primary writer of the Republican budget that calls for wage freezes for two years. At the same time, Nuccio said there are times when there is only one trooper in rural northeastern Connecticut, which can lead to long response times when the trooper is far away from an accident or emergency. 'One trooper, 74 square miles is not good enough for me,' said Nuccio. 'In the northeast corner, you're risking it every day.' The discussion of the contract spilled over into staffing levels, which has been an issue for more than 15 years. The state police peaked at 1,283 troopers under Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell in 2009, and the force has dropped by about 400 troopers as the numbers constantly fluctuate with retirements and new additions. With a class of 21 troopers that recently graduated from the police academy, the state now has 919 troopers with another 66 potentially on the way as they accept offers for the next training class of troopers. By July 2027, 147 troopers would be eligible for retirement, even though many continue working after the minimum retirement plateau, officials said. Retired Sgt. Andrew Matthews, who serves as the executive director of the troopers' union, said troopers undergo severe stress at times in a dangerous occupation that can lead to post-traumatic stress injuries. Officials cited the death of Trooper Aaron Pelletier, who was struck on Interstate 84 in Southington while conducting a traffic stop on the side of the highway. The driver was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison as part of a plea bargain agreement, which generated criticism by members of law enforcement as a sentence that was too lenient. 'It's a dangerous job,' Matthews told lawmakers. 'PTSD, PTSI – post traumatic injury to the brain – is a real thing. … We have tried to reduce the stigma of asking for help. … We don't punish people for coming and asking for help.' At the peak, thousands of candidates would apply for the state police, Matthews said. Now, about 900 people might apply initially and eventually a class at the police academy might lead to 30 new troopers actually joining the force. Some lawmakers say the 2.5% increase could set a pattern for other state employees for future contracts. 'I think everybody knows this is an emotional contract for me,' said Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, a Newtown Republican who supported the contract. 'We're setting a pretty high bar for expectations.' A key factor in the state police budget is the amount of money spent on overtime. The latest statistics from the state comptroller's office show that the state spent $378 million for overtime during the 2024 calendar year across nearly 50 departments in state government. The highest amounts were in the state prison system with $113 million in overtime, followed by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services at $62 million and the state police at $60 million, according to the records. Among the top 25 individuals with the most overtime, 17 work for the state police, while six work in mental health facilities. The highest-paid was a state police dog handler, who received $439,000 overall, including the highest amount of overtime at $303,000. Through the years, he has handled dogs who search for fleeing suspects and missing persons at all hours of the day and night. Lawmakers were surprised to learn that nearly 1,700 state employees in all departments were paid more than $50,000 in overtime alone, while nearly 2,600 employees earned more than $40,000 in overtime in addition to their salaries. The state legislature voted in 2023 for a new, four-year contract that provides annual pay raises for troopers because many would-be troopers have been recruited by municipal police departments. With the state police lagging behind some other departments, the trooper trainee salaries were increased by 35% over several years. The trainees are now earning $67,279, up from $50,000 in the past. Police recruiting has been difficult, advocates say, after anti-police rallies were held nationwide following the May 2020 death of George Floyd while handcuffed in police custody in Minneapolis. Scrutiny of police increased with bills passed around the country, including Connecticut, that many police officers said made their jobs more difficult on issues like police chases and searches. 'If we have the best troopers and officers, then we should be paying them,' said Col. Daniel Loughman, the highest-ranking uniformed officer. 'A lot of these police departments are going back to 20-year retirements. The good, talented people are going to go where the money is.' Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
