Despite a $36.3 billion budget, an increase in excess of 3 percent, and a $2.3 billion shortfall over the next two years, Gov. Malloy has offered some free goodies for the masses. Taking a page from the Obama playbook, Malloy expects that the excitement of a reduced sales tax will result in us overlooking the real problem, which is overspending.

The governor's proposal to reduce the sales tax rate from the current rate of 6.35 percent to 5.95 percent by April 2017 may seem exciting to some but in reality it ain't worth a hill of beans. To put this in perspective, for every $100 item purchased, the taxpayer would realize a net savings of 40 cents, Disneyworld here we come!

It is time that we deal with the spending problem both here and at the national level, else we are doomed to fail.

However, this would take political courage and leadership, both of which are in short supply.