Posted on May 10, 2018
HARTFORD – At 11:21 p.m. yesterday evening, just 39 minutes before the 2018 Regular Legislative Session deadline, the House Speaker called a vote on a compromise budget. State Representative Holly Cheeseman (R-37) joined 141 of her colleagues in voting to pass the budget agreement, which does not raise taxes and yet still fully restores Medicare Saving Plan funds that were cut, adds money for teachers’ healthcare and provides more money to the Special Transportation Fund. Perhaps most importantly, it restores funding to municipalities and schools so that they will be spared from the draconian cuts inflicted on them last year by the governor.
“I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to protect municipal aid and education dollars for East Lyme and Salem,” said Rep. Cheeseman. “Our residents need to be confident that we are doing everything possible at the state level to preserve their quality of life.”
Republicans were able to negotiate numerous provisions from their budget plan into the final legislation, including a hard hiring freeze on new state employees to save $7 million, maintaining funding for military funerals, $29 million more to the Special Transportation Fund for road projects by accelerating the existing tax on new cars (which will ramp up dramatically in the coming years), provisions for long-term structural changes – such as allowing for volunteerism at the local level to ease burdens on towns and cities – and hiring a consultant to come up with $500 million in savings for Connecticut.
“After a very long and trying budget process, last night we were able to adjust the existing bipartisan budget plan that was approved in October to preserve healthcare benefits for senior citizens, veteran’s health programs and community college programs, among several other critical social services, without raising taxes!” said Rep. Cheeseman. “This budget plan may not be perfect, but it accomplishes many of the priorities I had set for East Lyme and Salem. As we continue working to reduce Connecticut’s debts, our main goal will be to preserve the Rainy Day Fund so we don’t have to rely on it as a bail-out.”
In addition, the deal features:
Republicans also secured language in the legislation that would inhibit Gov. Malloy’s ability to cut funding for towns and cities as he did under his authority following the passage of the bipartisan budget last October.