State Sen. Leonard A. Fasano's brash suggestion to cut off health care for workers who help maintain state buildings not only ignores the needs of working families, it is also an expensive proposal, likely to cost more money than it may seem to save.

Fifteen-year-old Manuela Patino, who was just diagnosed with diabetes, could lose her health care coverage because her mother is one of the workers whose health care benefits are being underfunded by the state. Fortunately for Manuela and hundreds of other cleaners' children, they will likely be eligible for health care coverage from HUSKY — the publicly funded health care program for Connecticut's uninsured children.

But, pushing these children onto HUSKY or into emergency room care will further burden Connecticut's budget. In fact, an estimate from the governor's Office of Fiscal Policy suggests taxpayers will pay in excess of $1.6 million to pay the health care costs for these children.

The governor and legislature have taken an important step in keeping Connecticut workers off costly public health programs for the next six months. They must ignore Fasano's shortsighted thinking and move toward a long-term solution that will keep our state's working families insured.

Kurt Westby
Hartford