June 3, 2025

Rep. Haines Demands Accountability After Rushed CT Budget Passage

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HARTFORD, CT — Today, the Connecticut General Assembly approved a $55.8 billion biennial budget by a rushed process that State Representative Irene Haines firmly rejects.

Despite an 11.2% increase in General Fund spending over two years, a $2.551 billion rise, the budget fails to meet critical statutory and moral obligations. Most notably, special education excess costs remain underfunded: the legislature added only $40 million per year (bringing total annual support to $221 million) along with a one-time $30 million grant, falling well short of Connecticut’s legal requirements.

“Our special education students deserve full and reliable support,” said Rep. Haines. “This partial funding fails to honor our legal and moral commitments to those with the greatest needs.”

Rep. Haines also criticized the elimination of a permanent middle-class Child Tax Credit in favor of a one-time $250 payment to ETIC recipients. “Connecticut’s working families require consistent, predictable relief— not a one-off payment that does little to address their ongoing expenses,” she said.

In addition, the budget raises nearly $2 billion through revenue adjustments—including rebasing the Hospital User Fee, extending the corporate tax surcharge, and modifying the unitary reporting cap—while failing to allocate any new resources to veterans or middle-income households.

“It is unacceptable to increase burdens on citizens while offering no new support to those who served our country and those who keep our economy running,” Rep. Haines asserted.

Rep. Haines further condemned the decision to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants, risking federal funding, while providing no additional benefits for veterans’ medical care. “We have a solemn duty to care for our veterans. Excluding them in favor of other priorities is a profound oversight,” she said.

Perhaps most troubling, Rep. Haines noted, is that the 600-plus page budget was advanced without thorough review. “Not one member of the majority leadership has read this document,” she emphasized. “Passing such a complex, multi-billion-dollar budget without rigorous scrutiny is an abdication of our responsibilities. Connecticut families deserve full transparency and an open legislative process.”