HARTFORD, Conn. -- Gov. M. Jodi Rell's two-year, $38.4 billion budget proposal would cut 400 jobs, seek hundreds of millions of dollars in concessions from state labor unions and eliminate or consolidate 23 state commissions to make up an estimated $8.6 billion budget shortfall.

Details of the proposal were released by members of the governor's staff at 10:30 a.m. in Hartford. Rell was scheduled to address a joint session of the General Assembly at noon Wednesday.

In addition to the job cuts, her budget eliminates nearly 450 other vacant state jobs. Officials said additional job cuts are likely in higher education.

"There is pain and sacrifice in this budget, but it is shared pain and sacrifice. We are in this struggle together, and we will need to work together, to lead together, in deed as well as in word," Rell said. "Simply put: The bloat of bureaucracy is no longer affordable. Over the years, over the decades, state government often lost sight of what its core mission was and who it was serving."

The governor is asking for $275 million in concessions from state unions.

Rell wants to eliminate commissions such as the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, the Asian-Pacific Affairs Commission, the African-American Affairs Commission and the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission.

"Rather than seeing our work as expendable, the governor should instead consider it preventive medicine, which is always more cost-effective than treating a condition that's gotten out of control,” said Teresa Younger, executive director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. “For example, the PCSW saves the state about $400,000 in education and training in sexual harassment prevention, cutting down on the number of sexual harassment complaints filed now saves money on unnecessary litigation later. Ensuring that women have access to mammograms today means less medical intervention tomorrow. And that's how our work operates across the span of a woman's life.

"Gov. Rell says she will use state resources for legitimate purposes,” she said. “Who would argue about the legitimacy of economic security for women and families? It's a fallacy to think that Connecticut's families will be strong if women are still financially insecure. One-fifth of Connecticut's female-headed households live below the poverty line, and these are the kinds of issues which the PCSW is mandated to address. And we do it at a cost of just 77 cents for each woman over the age of 18 here in Connecticut. That's how our budget divides up among the state's women.”

For 36 years, she said, the commission has been providing research and analysis to the Legislature and the public on issues affecting women.

“When you take a look and realize that it's women, it's children, it's the elderly and it's working class that are really going to be hit by this,” she said. “So we're really a little taken aback. At the same time, now we know what her thoughts are and her expectations are and now it will be for everybody else to put together another plan -- an alternative that represents the people of Connecticut.”

The governor is pledging not to raise taxes and said her tax-and-spending plan will make government more efficient.

The proposal also raises most license fees and imposes new license surcharges for bad drivers and people convicted of serious motor vehicle crimes.

Rell is suggesting that drivers who accumulate at least 7 points on their licenses in two years be required to pay a $100 annual fee for two years. Drivers convicted of a serious motor vehicle crime would pay $1,000 a year for two years to keep their licenses.

Rell's office expects increases in overall fees and licenses will raise $100 million in 2010 and $72 million in 2011.

Leaders of the legislature's Democratic majority said they're waiting to see details of the Republican governor's plan, but some are already questioning whether it's possible to address the deficit without raising taxes.

Other budget-saving measures would close courthouses in Bristol and Meriden and consolidate the state's 117 probate courts to 36 courts. The two court consolidations would transfer 29 jobs to other courthouses and cut another 29 jobs.

"It's also time for reform of our probate court system," Rell said. "Our system is antiquated and broken. I am proposing an overhaul that will reduce the number of courts, improve services and increase the hours of operation. It will also save money."

Rell's proposal also includes a cap on tax credits to the film industry.

The budget must be approved by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly, which has enough members in both the House and Senate to override vetoes. Democratic leaders have already questioned whether it's possible to avoid tax increases with such a large deficit.

Rell does plan to propose some new spending -- $7.5 million to create the new Connecticut Civilian Conservation Corps for the state's growing unemployed. The state's unemployment rate is about 7 percent.

The new program would be mirrored after one created during the Great Depression to help young men find work. Eligible men and women would earn wages while working on state and local public works projects such as clearing trails and cleaning parks, beaches and pollluted properties. Some could work on projects funded by the expected federal stimulus money the state will receive.

"The program has not yet been finalized but money has been set aside in the budget," Rell said. "I ask your help, as the Legislature, to craft a formal and final plan with me so that we can put it into place by July 1."

Rell's plan also included merging the vo-tech high school and community college system together with the state's Office of Workforce Competitiveness to create the Middle College System. The system would allow students to earn 60 college credits within five years of starting high school.

"My proposal lights a clear path to success for more than 10,000 students now in Connecticut's vo-tech high school system and will sharply improve the graduation rates and career prospects for our community college students -- all while ensuring htat a skilled work force will be in place to help us achieve economic success," Rell said.