oct-nov

EVALUATING

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2018 CEA ADVISOR 9

VOTE THE ISSUES: YOUR GUIDE TOWHERE CANDIDATES STAND ON EDUCATION

Honor Roll

NED LAMONT

BOB STEFANOWSKI

• Favors sustaining and strengthening the teacher pension fund • Supports an initiative backed by CEA to secure the Teachers’ Retirement Fund by placing the Connecticut Lottery into the fund to potentially reduce the state’s unfunded liability and provide a stable source of significant income • Supports reducing class sizes • Supports increasing counselor-to-student ratios • Advocates for increasing the number of social workers in Connecticut’s schools

• No response on questionnaire as of press time • No information provided online or in public dialogue on teacher pensions

TEACHER PENSIONS

• Supports “pay for performance” schemes and outcome-based teaching

TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

• Supports maintaining state grants to municipalities and restoring statewide equity to education cost share (ECS) funding

• Supports maintaining state grants to municipalities but plans to cut billions in state revenue, which jeopardizes education spending • Favors privatization of public schools and supports Betsy DeVos’s plans

SCHOOL FUNDING

• Applauds the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME , which threatens to undermine collective bargaining

• Supports teachers’ rights to collectively bargain and negotiate contracts, benefits, and working conditions

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Constitutional Races

Empty promise? Both major-party gubernatorial candidates have criticized Governor Malloy’s attempt in 2017 to have municipalities shoulder one-third of the cost of teachers’ pensions—essentially shifting the state’s obligation onto cities and towns. They have also vowed, unlike Malloy, to maintain state grants to municipalities. On the face of it, this seems like good news for Connecticut residents—and for teachers, in particular. But a promise is not the same as a plan. Economic experts point out that Stefanowski’s pledge to maintain state funding for cities and towns would be quickly undone by his proposed rapid phaseout of the income tax. In the absence of a state income tax, which accounts for nearly half of the state’s revenues, Connecticut would lose the necessary funds to support its cities, towns, and school districts. “Stefanowski’s plan to eliminate $8.9 billion in income tax revenue without specifying how he would plug that hole should raise a lot of red flags,” says Orlando Rodriguez, CEA’s chief economist and research and policy development specialist. “That kind of loss in revenue would result in the biggest cut to education spending our state has ever seen—a move that would precipitate massive teacher layoffs. If he is sincere in his promise to cut the income tax, Bob Stefanowski would have to offset the massive loss of revenue with cuts in state funding for K-12, higher education, retiree pensions, healthcare, road improvements and repairs, elder housing, and more.”

Those elected to Constitutional offices will advise the governor, ensure that legislation is enacted, and help determine policy and funding that affects teachers’ working conditions, healthcare, retirement options, and more. Learn more about all the candidates at cea.org/reportcard .

QUESTIONNAIRE

100

Honor Roll

Susan Bysiewicz (D)

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Joseph Markley (R)

Did not return

100

Honor Roll

Shawn Wooden (D)

TREASURER

Thaddeus Gray (R)

Did not return

100

Honor Roll

William Tong (D)

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Susan Hatfield (R)

Did not return

100

Honor Roll

Denise Merrill (D)

SECRETARY OF STATE

Susan Chapman (R)

Did not return

99

Honor Roll

Kevin Lembo (D)

COMPTROLLER

Kurt Miller (R)

Did not return