The Opportunity to Lead

On Thursday I, along with my Republican colleagues, unveiled “Confident Connecticut”, a no-tax-increase solution for the upcoming biennium. Legislative Democrats failed to produce a budget proposal of their own, which has provided me the opportunity to lead our state back to financial stability.

The governor’s proposal is the only other option that has been presented, which spends $313 million more than the Republican proposal presented today. However, the Republican proposal concentrates on funding the core functions of government while keeping spending in check. It calls for a strict spending cap, as well as a cap on the amount of bonding that can be allocated. This inherently prioritizes spending, which is why the overall state spending in the Republican proposal is significantly less than it is in the governor’s proposed budget.

Several government-funded programs, facing severe cuts, are now restored within the Republican proposal. For instance, the proposal institutes adequate funding for Fire Training schools, ensuring that firefighters across the state are properly trained to best respond in an emergency situation. Additionally, to protect the interests and safety of the state’s growing senior population funding for Meals on Wheels has also been preserved.

It is also important to note that hospitals across the state are held harmless from further tax increases.

It is unmistakable that an undue financial burden has been placed on our cities and towns, which has restricted local budgets. Consequently, one of my personal proposals would mandate the legislature to provide municipalities with projected aid from the state by March 1. This is a critical tool for creating municipal budgets. Additionally, the Republican proposal accepts the responsibility of our teachers’ pensions, saving municipalities from the governor’s proposal that would have levied $400 million from them in order to fund that account.

Going forward there are also structural changes that must be done to the way the legislature budgets taxpayer dollars that the proposal I support speaks to. All labor contracts must come before the legislature for approval, too many costly financial agreements are made without legislative oversight. Additionally, if the cumulative monthly financial statement by the Comptroller for two consecutive months includes a general fund deficit, then the legislature will be allowed to enact a law or laws to close that projected deficit.

It is vexing to me that many of these ideas have been proposed by me and members of both the House and Senate Republican caucuses for years. However, facing outyear deficits that have skyrocketed from millions to billions, the time for leadership is now.

Sincerely,

Jay Case
State Representative, 63rd District