Status of the State Budget

To the Editor,

At a time when we should be coming together and making progress toward creating a balanced budget – one that moves Connecticut forward – the legislative majority continues to demonstrate that they are not fit to lead.

On Tuesday, the House was called into session, hastily, by the Speaker and Majority Leader. Usually, when sessions are convened, members of both parties are provided with an agenda in terms of what the business of the day will be. This did not occur.

In order to override a veto, the House must have 101 votes in the affirmative. The legislative majority party leadership was aware that several members within their caucus, who had previously supported the budget sent to the Governor, could not physically make the session. It should also be noted, Tuesday’s session was called with less than a 24-hour notice, which was simply not enough time to prepare for a session that was agreed upon to be held next week.

A later date, with adequate notice, would have provided an actual chance to build a bi-partisan consensus to override the monarchical veto of a budget that originally garnered support from both sides of the aisle. However, the majority party put the veto override up for a motion knowing with the absent members, the numbers favored an override defeat. It was a calculated move to stifle Democracy.

Regardless of the attempt, no action was taken to override the budget veto on Tuesday. As a result of this inaction, the possibility of a veto override remains an option at a later date. Ironically, the legislative majority party again failed to put forth a new concept. Maybe next week? Maybe November? I guess ten-months hasn’t been enough time for them but, my caucus has had a balanced budget proposal since April that does not raise taxes and fully funds Newtown reimbursements that passed the House and Senate.

The Governor and legislative Democrats had cut Newtown to zero.

The Governor’s near-sighted plan to eliminate funding to our cities and towns must be reversed.

As a result of political posturing, the budget process has only been mocked. Tuesday’s session was a simply a display of an abuse of power, which holds the entire citizenry of Connecticut in a state of limbo.

I look forward to taking real action on a balanced state budget in the coming days.

Sincerely,

Mitch Bolinsky, State Representative 106th District