Letter to Editor re: State Budget Shortfalls
To the Editor,
After the failure of the Majority Party to present the legislature with a budget to consider prior to the adjournment of the 2016 Legislative Session, it is critical taxpayers realize the position legislative Democrats and the governor’s office have left us in.
The following is a brief timeline of what has transpired as a result of neglecting much needed structural changes to the way we budget the state’s operating expenses:
- Mitigation Session 1 – The current FY 2016 budget deficit, which had appeared several months before, reached approximately $350 million. On December 8, the legislature passed a bill closing that deficit. While both parties worked together on the bill, Republicans voted against it, because it included no long-term structural changes designed to halt the state’s perpetual deficit cycle.
- December – February. The projected deficit for 2017 grew to about $550 million.
- February 3. Following the usual procedure for providing guidance to the legislature, Governor Malloy presented a budget adjustments proposal for FY 2017. It addressed the full projected $550 million deficit for 2017.
- January – March. The current FY 2016 budget once again began running a deficit, which grew to $220 million.
- Mitigation Session 2 – On March 29, the legislature passed a bill closing the 2016 current $220 million deficit. Again, both parties worked together on the bill. This time both parties voted in favor, because with this short-term measure designed only to balance the budget for three months, the Republican requirement for long-term structural changes was not on the table for negotiation.
- February – April. The projected 2017 deficit grew to $930 million.
- Majority legislators of both the Appropriations and Finance Committees each introduced and passed 2017 budget adjustments bills. They did not, however, address the full $930 million projected deficit, leaving the 2017 budget almost $400 million out of balance. Republicans voted against both bills.
- Stating that the majority’s budget adjustments legislation was incomplete, the governor, in a rare move, released a second proposal that addressed the entire $930 million projected deficit.
- By April 29, Revenue tallies following April 18 due date for taxes will be available and may reveal further shortfalls. This would affect both the 2016 and the 2017 budgets
- May 4. The 2016 legislative session ends. Majority leadership did not offer a budget for the legislature to vote on prior to adjournment. A special mitigation session will be called to mitigate the current deficit, yet again, in the near future.
It is my hope that both parties can come to an agreement that closes our current fiscal year deficit, as well as the coming fiscal year’s projected shortfall. In doing so, we must make long-term structural changes to the budget. For instance, the elimination of the legislative permanent commissions and the reduction the number of state attorneys through consolidation results in immediate savings.
While I am gravely concerned with the way this budget has been handled by the majority to this point, I look forward to the opportunity to working with my colleagues and mitigating the massive deficit.
Sincerely,
Jay Case
State Representative, 63rd District
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