Gov. Dannel Malloy (D., Conn.) has christened himself the “anti-Christie” for taking “a slightly more intellectual approach” to the state’s budget deficit — that is, for raising taxes. Although the Democrat-dominated state legislature passed the governor’s proposed budget, including $1 billion in tax hikes — the largest tax increase in state history — they’re still staring at a $1 billion hole to fill. Malloy has promised to patch it up with concessions from state-employee unions, consisting of either benefit reductions or layoffs. Because negotiations have failed to yield the necessary concessions, however, Malloy has resorted to issuing 4,700 pink slips.

It’s an odd position for the unions, which worked to ensure Malloy’s squeaker victory in November. It’s also an odd position for the Yankee Institute, a libertarian think tank, which now finds itself backing the governor’s drive for concessions. Through its advocacy arm, Yankee Action, the group is airing radio aids in support of the governor. “We were strongly opposed to the tax hikes,” Heath Fahle, policy director for the institute, tells National Review Online. “But now that the deed is done, and the concessions are meant to avoid further tax hikes, we are publicly supporting them. Our position has been consistent.”

“Additional tax hikes would be another punch in the stomach of small businesses in Connecticut,” Fahle adds.

Echoing Rep. Paul Ryan’s warning that making sharp cuts now will avoid even greater pain in the future, Fahle observes, “It’s necessary but it’s also a sign of failure that the legislature couldn’t have addressed this when times were good. And now we have to deal with it in this time of crisis, and state employees are paying a price for it.”

Indeed, Malloy is the anti-Christie: Although Christie has decreased the state workforce by 2,982 positions since he took office, about 85 percent of that has been through attrition.