The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) today (Thursday, May 14, 2009)) released a major new public policy report entitled "Special Benefits for Public Safety Employees - Why the Mega-Mandate Should Be Rejected" which exposes a titanic proposed state mandate (HB 6194) that would break the backs of towns and cities and their hard-pressed property taxpayers

(See attachment below for complete report.)

The legislation would overturn the foundation of the workers' compensation system by mandating new, unjustified, and costly benefits for cancers and infectious and contagious diseases for all local public safety workers

These costly, unfunded and unnecessary mandates would not require such employees to show the origin of their illnesses, and would fundamentally shift the burden to towns and cities to show the illnesses are not job-related.

"We are in the middle of the most significant recession in half a century," noted Jim Finley, CCM Executive Director and CEO. "Towns and cities are going underwater fiscally with the forecast of more rain over the next several years. How can the General Assembly consider mandating costly, unjustified, new benefits when mayors and first selectmen from across the state are being forced to lay off employees?"

HB 6194 is part of a nationwide campaign to provide all local police officers and firefighters - paid and volunteer - with special workers' compensation benefits at the expense of local taxpayers.

The Labor Committee and Public Safety Committees have already favorably reported HB 6194, which would unfairly and dramatically expand the workers' compensation benefits system for public safety employees - and indisputably cost towns millions. Such a toxic public policy proposal completely ignores our current economic crisis and disregards the severity of this recession's impact on communities and households statewide. HB 6194 would pour fuel on an already raging fiscal fire in towns throughout Connecticut.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• INTRODUCTION
• POTENTIAL MAJOR FISCAL IMPACT:
• Infectious & Contagious Diseases
• Cancer
• Increased Insurance Rates
• SETTING THE MEDICAL RECORD STRAIGHT
• Cancer
• Infectious & Contagious Diseases
• CONCLUSION

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