Newtown Legislators Support Republican Budget Plan

“Pathway to Sustainability” Closes 2017 Deficit and Makes Long-Term Changes

HARTFORD – State Representatives Mitch Bolinsky (R-106), J.P. Sredzinski (R-112), Dan Carter (R-2), and State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) stood today with their Republican colleagues in the General Assembly and proposed a budget plan that will close the $935.7 million deficit for FY 17 and put the state on a path toward fiscal stability.

The Republican’s Pathway to Sustainability plan includes no tax increases and protects funding for local town education, hospitals, and critical services for the most vulnerable in the state, including those who suffer from mental health issues and have developmental disabilities.

“We’ve come to the table today with a workable proposal that accomplishes the kind of true structural changes needed to begin digging the State of Connecticut out of the downward fiscal spiral we’ve been warning of for years,” said Rep. Bolinsky. “Everyone should celebrate what this plan provides.  Our plan not only digs the state out of its current deficit but also gives us the opportunity to work toward using accumulated surpluses to roll back recent Democrat tax increases, rebuild the Rainy Day Fund, pay-down debt and under-funded long-term liabilities, invest more in mental health, kill unfunded mandates, and dump dozens of marginal nuisance taxes.  It’s a pathway to reverse our state’s current revenue crisis, caused by years of over-spending and frivolous taxation that has led to our current outward migration of jobs and people.”

“Our plan is the only proposal that closes the deficit facing the state next year and makes a serious effort to change the way our state does business down the line,” said Rep. Sredzinski. “We prioritize the key functions of government, including taking care of the most vulnerable in our communities, and make revisions to areas where we can find true cost-savings measures, including instituting a cap on state bonding. Our plan is responsible and the savings achieved in it are attainable.  We have a financially sustainable path for Connecticut, and I hope to see our colleagues adopt this plan.”

“In what will surely become a memorable moment in Connecticut’s state history, Republican lawmakers today  surmounted an impossible burden posed by the governor and majority party by proposing a budget that not only closes the deficit for Fiscal Year 2017, but plans for fiscal sustainability over the next five years,” said Rep. Carter. “I am proud of the plan that our caucus leadership crafted, and believe that the right decisions were made in terms of cutting out-of-control spending habits, and promoting the services needed to preserve the dignity of our state and the residents who call it home.”

Sen. Hwang said, “Our priority as lawmakers must be to restore predictability, sustainability and transparency to our state’s finances. Our plan will hold harmless state funding for local education and protect services for our most vulnerable residents while making fundamental, long-term, structural reforms. We can do this without tax or fee hikes on residents and businesses.  We look forward to these sound, common sense ideas being passed soon so that we can put Connecticut back on a stable, sustainable budget path. ”

For more information on the Pathway to Sustainability, please visit: www.fiveyearbudget.com.