Senate GOP calls for public-private partnerships, new tax incentives (Connecticut)

The Meriden Record-Journal ^ | February 13, 2019 | Clarice Silber and Keith M. Phaneuf, © The Connecticut Mirror

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

HARTFORD — Senate Republicans outlined a list of proposals on Wednesday that would expand public-private partnerships, create new tax incentives – and possibly add to Connecticut’s coffers.

The lawmakers proposed several bills that aim to lower government costs by implementing public-private partnerships with state human services agencies.

State Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, said private providers can provide more and better quality services than the public sector, noting residents are relying on a system that is antiquated and doesn’t meet current technological or consumer demands.

One measure would create those partnerships for the delivery of human services to low-income residents, elderly individuals, or people with disabilities, and form fraud investigations to detect those wrongfully using public assistance.

“It’s going to do more with less at a time when we have less resources and growing demand,” Kelly said.

Two other proposals would involve forming a public-private partnership council with multiple state commissioners to contract the delivery of human services, and privatizing certain Department of Motor Vehicle services.

Maribel La Luz, director of communications for Gov. Ned Lamont, said in an email the governor supports a lot of these ideas.

“He looks forward to working collaboratively with the legislature to ensure what’s best for the people and businesses of Connecticut,” she said.

Senate Republican leader Len Fasano said he is encouraged by Lamont’s general support of public-private partnerships, calling it huge common ground.

“I think that the fact that he has been thinking in that direction, I think is a universal change for this state for the better,” Fasano said.

Fasano described a new state income tax deduction for charitable contributions that would go into a “citizens in need” account within the state Department of Social Services’ budget.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

So the tax deduction for the individual somehow winds up into a "citizens in need" account???

[reed13k]

Public-Private..... in other words the private equity takes the risk and the public guys tell them what they can’t do.

[Wuli]

“public private partnerships” are another form of cronyism.

Various parts of each become political or financial (or both) beneficiaries, supplicants, donors, and self-serving defenders of some part of the other side.

What is needed is fewer taxes and fewer tax dollars, leaving more money in the private markets to begin with, so there is less need for “social services” as more private jobs will be created.

What the GOP needs to do in Connecticut is to offer bills for getting the government out of the way of private enterprise, NOT how better to politically get into bed with it.

[PeterPrinciple]

Fasano described a new state income tax deduction for charitable contributions that would go into a “citizens in need” account within the state Department of Social Services’ budget.

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Another tax.

Charity should be personal, not institutionalized.