In fact, Ubiñas included the example of at least two Hartford city workers unintentionally laid-off last Friday -- among them our own Vanessa Williams, a member of Council 760's Chapter 848 -- to illustrate how poorly the Perez Administration is managing the current economic crisis.

Rell's municipal relief plan will be presented to the General Assembly during a November 24 special session she urged legislative leaders call in order to close the State's $300 million deficit. Though the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), which represents the state's 169 cities and towns, has embraced her proposals, the plan comes up short in delivering long-term reforms.

For example, the Governor's plan includes a recommendation to tighten the deadlines for municipal binding arbitration. This is a largely symbolic move that will do little to help Connecticut's municipalities get through a period of instability that has resulted from the failed economic policies of the Bush Administration.

Connecticut has serious structural problems, and elected leaders must act to repair our aging infrastructure and schools, and invest in education, public safety and healthcare. Governor Rell must devote herself to finding meaningful ways to help our state's cities and towns, not just for now but for the long haul.

Contact the Governor's office -- especially if you are a Paraprofessional or Council 760 member working for a local public school district or municipality -- and tell her the problems with our cities and towns cannot be repaired with a band-aid like tinkering with arbitration deadlines:

CALL (860) 566-4840 or (800) 406-1527 toll-free statewide, weekdays between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M.;

EMAIL Governor.Rell@ct.gov; or

WRITE Governor M. Jodi Rell, State Capitol, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106.