The State Senate unanimously approved legislation early this morning that moves the state one step closer to amending the Connecticut State Constitution to require the Teachers’ Retirement System be funded at 100% each year. State Senator David Cappiello (R-Danbury) has been the lead proponent of this resolution for the last several years

“Teachers are as valuable to the future of this state as anybody, yet only once in the history of the Teachers’ Retirement System has the legislature funded it at 100%. With a Constitutional Amendment in place, there would be no more circumventing the law,” said Senator Cappiello, who serves on the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee. “If we continue along the path we have been on of funding the system at less than 100%, the state would have to either raise taxes to cover the costs of teachers’ retirement benefits or simply strip these benefits away. Both of these ‘solutions’ would be unacceptable.”

The Resolution now moves on to the state House of Representatives where a three-fourths vote would be needed to place the resolution on the ballot for the 2004 general election. If the majority of voters approve the amendment, it will become part of the state constitution.

“I am confident that voters across the state recognize the valuable service teachers provide to their local communities and the state at large. Furthermore, they do not want to see their taxes drastically raised because certain state legislators were unable to allocate the state’s money in a responsible fashion,” continued Senator Cappiello.