Last fall, Enfield residents went to the polls and voted for a decidedly different direction in their local government. Seven Republican Town Councilors were elected, giving the GOP a 7-4 supermajority on the Enfield Town Council. Though residents had already noticed the big change - like no more crazy Mayor shouting at citizens in the grocery store, the real rub came last night at the Enfield Town Council meeting when they passed a No Tax Increase budget.

According to the Journal-Inquirer:

With some residents waving pompoms and clapping, Republicans on the Town Council approved a 2008-09 budget with no tax increase Wednesday night, keeping the mill rate at 23.88 mills.

Connecticut already has the highest per-capita tax burden in the United States of America.  Of course, our liberal friends will immediately cry “wolf!”, pointing to the distortive effect of Fairfield County’s immense wealth.  But even Fairfield’s deep pockets do not distort the fact that Connecticut’s employment growth has ranked last in the nation since 1991 (according to the U.S. Census, County Business Pattern, CERC), Connecticut is losing 18-34 year olds at the fastest rate in the nation (U.S. Census 1990-2000), and Entrepreneur Magazine in 2006 named the Nutmeg State is the 48th best state to do business.  Expensive electricity, expensive insurance rates, high utility costs, skyrocketing gas prices, and burdensome regulations are smothering the Connecticut economy.  All this in a State which was once the economic engine of New England, now traded away for class warfare rhetoric and blatant pandering to public service unions.

Weighing down the Connecticut economy hasn’t - shockingly! - created new opportunities for many Connecticut families.  High praise goes to the Enfield Republican Town Councilors who passed the No Tax Increase Budget last night, for finally listening to the people of Connecticut who want to grow the economy again.