Case, Republican Lawmakers Unveil Budget Plan

HARTFORD – State Representative Jay Case (R-63) joined fellow Republican lawmakers Monday at a press conference held at the Legislative Office Building. Both House and Senate Republicans rolled out a three point plan detailing how to mitigate current budget deficits and a holistic plan that would address projected out year deficits.

“The failed mitigation package that was put forth by the Majority Party in December has not been effective and I would be remiss if I did not bring up the fact I advocated for long-term, structural changes to be made to our budgeting process during that specific session,” state Rep. Case, “For example, as a legislature, we should be voting on state bargaining agreements and looking at ways to prioritize spending to tackle the state’s overwhelming transportation issues.”

Republicans pointed to the implementation of 1.) long-term structural changes to restore sustainability and increase predictability, 2.) prioritizing transportation funding and protecting transportation funds, and 3.) closing the current fiscal year deficit and addressing the fiscal year 2017 budget deficits in the upcoming legislative session, in order to fix the state’s budget woes.

A 30 year total of $66 billion in transportation projects were identified by the state’s Transportation Finance Panel. The alternate plan offered by Republican’s at today’s press conference would account for $71.3 billion over 30 years, providing adequate funding without raising taxes or adding tolls.

The legislature will convene for the legislative session on Wednesday, February 3rd.

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