Bolinsky Votes NO on Reckless State Spending Plan

HARTFORD – Today, State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106, Newtown) voted no on a Democratic spending plan which subverts the constitutional state spending cap and will require over $1 billion in additional revenue not addressed in the proposal.

Last week the House and Senate Republicans proposed a state budget proposal, the Blueprint for Prosperity, which received widespread favorable reviews as being a sustainable policy document that allows the state to begin the process of living within its means.  Their proposal presents a “no tax increase” plan that finds ways to adequately fund essential programs including those for society’s most vulnerable citizens, community-based mental health services, respite care relief, veterans’ programs and other safety net measures. The Blueprint for Prosperity even included a proposal to restore funding for Newtown’s Historic Second Company Horse Guard.

The budget, which was voted out of the Appropriations committee on a party-line vote, would increase spending by a billion dollars more than the Republican budget over the next two years. The total spending plan for the next two years increases state spending by nearly 8 percent.

The Democratic proposal looks to get under the state spending cap by moving all of the state’s unfunded liability payments outside of the cap for the first time in the history of the voter-approved constitutional state spending cap, which began as a statutory limitation in 1991 — and then became a constitutional amendment in 1992.

Bolinsky said, “We’ve been working on the budget and supporting policy documents on a bipartisan basis in Appropriations for weeks and have done a lot of good work to untangle and restore the Governor’s broad cuts to human services.  I’m encouraged that we agree on so many issues and that we have pledged to continue forward to find a healthy balance of spending and revenue.  Where we differ is in our Republican fight against taxes and gimmicks to pay for a 21st-century Connecticut.”

“At a time when the state is facing deficits of more than $1.5 billion dollars in each of the next two fiscal years, I cannot in good conscience support the Democrat’s Appropriations Committee plan that increases state spending by an outrageous amount without regard for how we’ll pay for it.  Also, I think it is deceitful to use a budget gimmick like “redefining” the Constitutional Spend Cap to distract the taxpayers’ attention away from this huge spending increase.  One can only assume that, under their plan, taxpayers will foot the bill once again with higher taxes.  I cannot support that. On the other hand, our caucus’ Blueprint for Prosperity makes equivalent and greater program restorations with no tax increase. This, in my view, is a responsible plan for the future of Connecticut,” added Rep. Bolinsky.