In 1991, after a careful, first-hand examination of his state's deteriorating fiscal condition, Governor Lowell Weicker of Connecticut shocked many residents of the state by proposing a first-time-ever personal income tax as part of his fiscal year 1992 budget package. He believed that for Connecticut to survive its worst financial crisis since the Depression and meet fairly its obligations it would have to accept an income tax along with substantial spending cuts. Governor Weicker demonstrated tremendous political courage and risked his career by challenging the status quo and the popular bipartisan anti-income tax tradition. Despite intense political and public criticism, threats to his safety, and large-scale bitter protests, he persevered and finally prevailed in this fight. During a speech at Yale University in 1991, Weicker stated that, "Respect - if not reelection - comes from speaking the truth, standing up for what you believe in and taking some licks."