Carpino Comments on Budget in Letter to Editor

To The Editor,

On Tuesday I joined my legislative colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, in supporting a mitigation package erasing the $220 million deficit for the current fiscal year. I am cautiously optimistic some of my colleagues finally recognize we need to reexamine how government operates in order to stop our perpetual budgetary shortfalls.

The core services protected in the package include:

• Preservation of state aid to municipalities across the board, which is critical at this point in the fiscal year
• Restoration of $31 million to our state hospitals, triggering an additional $100 million to be released in federal funding as a result of the state action
• Services administered through the state’s Department of Developmental Services (DDS) remain uninterrupted

I voted for the bipartisan mitigation package because it restored many of the proposed cuts and preserved the core services of government. Cromwell and Portland were counting on the state aid that had already been promised, as was Middlesex Hospital. Hundreds of Middlesex Hospital employees live in the district and Middlesex Hospital Primary Care Centers are also located in both towns. Job security and the viability of our health care system are key to maintaining a strong base to the state’s economy.

Tuesday was a good day, but others will not be. Connecticut is staring at a $900 million deficit that will become the new fiscal reality on July 1. Last June I warned the majority party that their budget was irresponsible and unsustainable. Republicans crafted an alternative but it was ignored. Instead, no long-term structural changes were made and we are facing billion dollar deficits in the near future. Long term structural changes need to be made. Businesses are leaving the state and taking good jobs with them.

Change is painful. Every change impacts somebody. But, we have no choice.

Sincerely,

Christie Carpino
State Representative, 32nd District

State Representative Christie Carpino represents the 32nd District of Cromwell and Portland. She is Co-Chair of the legislature’s Program Review and Investigation Committee, and sits on the Judiciary and Public Health Committees.