May 10, 2018

Reps. Dauphinais and Skulczyck Vote for Compromised Budget Before the Close of Session

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HARTFORD – State Representatives Anne Dauphinais (R-44), and Kevin Skulczyck (R-45) joined their fellow House Republican and Democrat colleagues in supporting the compromised budget brought forth Wednesday night.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle voted overwhelmingly 142-8 in favor of the compromise, which does not include tax increases, tolls, or many of the other items proposed during the shortened session.

This budget proposal provides funding for our teachers, municipalities, students, most needy residents, veterans, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition to all municipal aid and ECS funding remaining whole in 2019, other budgetary items include:

$16 million in additional funding for the Retired Teachers’ Health Care Fund
Fully restores funding for the Medicare Savings Program to 211%
$2 million to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
$12.5 million in support for Vo-Ag students
$5 million in emergency placement for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
Restores funding for the Husky A program
Blocked a proposal to remove funding for military funerals
All fire training schools remain whole and untouched for 2019
$9.5 million for Private Provider COLA

“Just before midnight members of the House voted in favor budget that did not rely on increased taxes or fees to our already overburdened residents,” Rep. Dauphinais said. “While this budget is far from perfect and there is still a lot of work left to do, it does not cut funding to our schools or municipalities, and provides long overdue funding to our nonprofit agencies who take care of many of our most needy residents. I am happy to have worked alongside Representative Rovero and Representative Boyd in doing what is best for the residents of Eastern Connecticut.”

“I am proud to have fought to preserve educational and municipal funding along with services for our elderly and most needy residents. While this compromised budget does not comprise all of the budgetary items our caucus would have liked to have seen included, it doesn’t end here because Connecticut still faces an incredible fiscal challenges moving forward,” Rep. Skulczyck said. “I would like to encourage each and every citizen to remain active and in touch with their state representatives and demand a course correction for the fiscal mishaps of the past 40 years. I am happy to say that I have witnessed diplomacy instead of political posturing and would like to commend my leader Themis Klarides for continuing to stand up for all of Connecticut.”

This compromise prevents the governor from running the state via executive order and subjecting municipalities to severe cuts that would have come as a result. Once adopted, the budget would take effect on July 1.