Public service workers supporting legislative proposal to reduce costs, expand coverage, and offset property taxes

WHAT:       Testimony to the General Assembly's Labor and Public Employees Committee during public hearing on House Bill 5536, "An Act Establishing The Connecticut Healthcare Partnership"

WHEN:        Friday, March 7, 2008, beginning at 12:00 noon.

WHERE:      Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building, located at 300 Capitol Avenue, in Hartford

DETAILS:    With Connecticut's local municipalities and school districts facing economic uncertainty, support for a proposed bill designed to cut healthcare costs for municipal workers and achieve tax savings through the "pooling" of coverage is growing. Public service workers united in CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 and AFSCME Council 4 are joining with local elected officials, non-profit service providers, and small business owners at the first legislative hearing on the "Connecticut Healthcare Partnership" to urge lawmakers to pass the bill in the current session.

In testimony to be delivered today, Vernon Public Works employee Jim Tedford says, "any proposal that can provide quality healthcare coverage to municipal employees and their families – and provide tax relief to our cities and towns – is worth pursuing."

"After ten years of working as a paraprofessional, my salary has hardly kept pace with increases in my taxes and health insurance costs," Julie Cinammon, who works in the Fairfield School District, says in written testimony to be submitted to the Committee.

Members of both unions will be available for comment at the Legislative Office Building throughout the public hearing. Members of the press may contact CSEA/SEIU's Communications Director Matt O'Connor at (860) 951-6614 or Council 4's Public Affairs Coordinator Larry Dorman at (860) 612-3855 to schedule interviews.