May 23, 2023

Rep. DeCaprio: 2023 State Budget Update

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I wanted to let you know that House Republicans are in the final phase of negotiations developing it along with Governor Lamont, as well as General Assembly Democrats, who are working to ensure their priorities are included in the document.

I am hopeful that negotiations will result in a bipartisan budget for Connecticut, something we haven’t seen in our state since Republicans enjoyed nearly even numbers in the legislature back in 2017.

House Republicans entered budget talks this spring with a plan that was hard for our colleagues to ignore—producing a balanced, two-year proposal that not only respects the bipartisan fiscal guardrails that were renewed earlier this year, but one that also avoids the type of gimmicks that have characterized most of the Connecticut state budgets over the last several years.

I am happy to report that many of our proposals have been viewed favorably by Governor Lamont, and our legislative colleagues across the aisle. Republicans started the conversation about meaningful tax relief more than a year ago, and we’re thrilled that Governor Lamont joined us earlier this year in insisting on providing Connecticut’s middle class with a break. Responsible things happen for Connecticut when Republicans have a seat at the negotiating table, and I look forward to briefing you on the outcome of our talks when the plan is finalized and before a vote occurs in the House of Representatives.

View the House Republican budget plan here.

Regards,

State Representative Mark DeCaprio

Key Budget Points

$1.2 Billion in Tax Relief, including:

Structural, middle-class income tax cut
First-ever state child tax deduction, $2k per child
Elimination of taxes on kids’ clothes under $100
Broadening exemption from pension & annuity taxes
Restoring the pass-through entity tax credit

Support for Students:

More ECS funding for local schools
Fully funding special education grants for the first time
Funding colleges & universities, adding fiscal control

Common Sense Provisions:

Follow real-world hiring patterns in budgeting for open positions
More funding for nonprofit service providers
Better planning, spending: Reinstate Transportation Strategy Board
Funding for GPS monitoring for domestic violence offenders
Create a support fund for families of fallen police officers