Delivering his first budget address as Connecticut governor in February 2011, Dannel P. Malloy described the principle that would guide his policies: \”shared sacrifice.\” It aimed at convincing taxpayers that state employees would suffer along with them during the nastiest recession in decades. Malloy was certainly asking taxpayers to suffer: his $1.9 billion tax increase for the 2012 fiscal year was the largest in state history.

As of September 18, 2012, there are 3,142 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 134 deaths. Texas reported 1,225 cases the highest number. The only state not to have a problem with the West Nile disease was Nevada.