Why We Said Yes

The Connecticut Senate and House of Representatives both approved a budget that will reverse the governor’s draconian cuts to education funding in Middlesex County via his executive order and restore the majority of municipal aid. Both chambers passed the bill with a wide enough margin to prevail should the executive branch opt to issue a veto, again.

This budget retained several of the structural changes contained within the document that cleared both chambers last month. Of these changes, a state spending cap and a state bonding cap were imposed to limit the amount of government spending. Additionally, all union contracts must receive legislative support before the state will be allowed to enter into such labor agreements. These changes cannot be overstated.

The budget:

• Protects core social services and day programs
• Restores majority of education funding from the governor’s executive order
• Supports senior living services
• Drug abuse and treatment programs have been funded
• Provides municipal mandate relief
• Restores Funding for Firefighter Training Schools

We supported this budget in order to put our state on firmer financial footing.  However, the bipartisanship showed recently should have been the approach from the beginning.

Although there are some aspects of this budget we do not agree with, it is important to note that the long-term structural changes within it are long overdue. This budget is a blueprint to move Connecticut forward. We believe this budget will provide Connecticut with necessary relief and a strong foundation as we attain fiscal stability.

It does not include shifting teacher pension obligations to our towns, nor does it raise the income or sales tax. It also did not come without difficult choices. Cuts, some painful, were made. Some fees were increased and taxes on tobacco products were raised.