The news media is reporting that Gov. Malloy has signed a new budget agreement that assumes state employee concessions, in the form of a half percent reduction in raises, which would be negotiated for the 2016-17 fiscal year. We have not agreed to any such reductions in wage increases nor have we had any discussions regarding this possibility. This is a reduction in the “reserve for salary adjustment” line item in the budget. IBPO is preparing to enter in negotiations for a successor agreement. In no way will a legislative decision to reduce the reserve for state employee salaries trump our authority. This line item reduction has no legal significance under the statutory factors guiding state negotiations and arbitration, and cannot be used as a tool to measure the employer’s ability to pay.