1 May—May Day is celebrated by labor. And Connecticut is celebrated by labor. Especially state employees.

On the other hand, especially in this time of trumpflation (Donald Trump likes to put his moniker on everything, so let’s give him credit where he actually deserves it) many—perhaps most—average Connecticut taxpayers not employed by the state struggle to pay for essential goods and services, as well as extortionate taxes and fees (i.e., taxes by another name) gleefully and wantonly imposed by the state’s irresponsible spendthrift Democrat trifecta and forced on municipalities by draconian—and invariably stupid—state mandates in areas like education, housing, and wages.

The average Connecticut state employee is currently paid an astronomical $101,500 a year (plus invidiously incredible fringe benefits, of course), second only to the average California state employee. (Or so we’re told; Connecticut may actually top California in real terms.) In all events, the national average for state employees is a closer-to-earth $87,750.

The national average for private-sector employees, on the other hand, is a piddling $66,500. The average for private-sector employees in Connecticut is a somewhat less piddling $70,000. Remember when working for the private sector was more lucrative than being employed by the government?

So yesterday, both houses of Connecticut’s lopsidedly, unhealthily, chronically Democrat General Assembly passed a $2 billion deal to raise the pay over four years of the 42,000 of those already second-highest-paid (or highest-paid) unionized state employees who belong to labor unions. (Don’t ask why we say “employees” rather than “workers.”)

It’s the 2026 SEBAC Agreement. SEBAC is the acronym of the notorious juggernaut State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition dreaded by powerless, victimized taxpayers quite as it’s worshiped and nurtured by the Democrats who serve in and around the Connecticut Capitol. Because the pols need its votes to keep screwing the taxpayers.

In simple terms, then, whatever SEBAC wants, SEBAC gets.

The $2 billion SEBAC bribe still needs to be signed by Gov. Ned Lamont, of course, so it’s possible, fiscal conservative he claims to be, he just might do the right thing for his constituents and veto it. Right?

Dream on. Because the SEBAC bribe is actually Ned Lamont’s baby—not that he had to wheedle and cajole his Democrat confederates in the General Assembly to give it to him. It’s intended to and without doubt will help Ned get elected to a third term just as it helps them maintain their lopsided majorities in both houses.

And at least two of the three announced Republican gubernatorial candidates as well as most of the GOP underticket appear to be doing all they can to help the Democrats maintain their pernicious chokehold on Connecticut . . .