Republican Budget Proposal Closes 2017 Deficit of $935.7 Million

Republican Budget Proposal Closes 2017 Deficit of $935.7 Million

Restores Funding for Social Services, Education & Hospitals; Provides Municipal Mandate Relief

HARTFORD– The House and Senate Republicans released a fiscally sound budget proposal today, the Pathway to Sustainability, which closes the state’s projected $935.7 million budget shortfall. The GOP five year framework, restores core social services, protects local town education funding, and implements long-term structural changes to the state budget.

Rep. Tim Ackert (R-8), the Ranking Member of the Energy & Technology Committee, added, “We were able to bring forth a solid budget plan today that protects municipalities and educational funding- without tax increases. The Republican plan will eliminate the never-ending budget deficits plaguing the State of Connecticut.”

On March 29th, the Republicans agreed to a deficit mitigation package to close this year’s $220 million deficit. Now the Office of Fiscal Analysis is projecting that the State of Connecticut is facing a budget shortfall of $ 935.7 million, starting July 1^st.

Throughout the past year, the majority party has failed to agree with Republican proposals to make long-term changes to the budgeting process such as mandatory voting by the legislature on labor contracts, overtime accountability protocols, as well as caps on spending and bonding, and numerous other approaches detailed in the official document.

The GOP plan balances the 2017 budget and results in a $1 billion surplus by 2021. A full line-by-line and detailed summary of the plan can be found on our website, www.fiveyearbudget.com.

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