Enfield Legislators Support the Compromise Budget

Hartford – State Representatives Greg Stokes (R-58) and Carol Hall (R-59) supported the passage of the compromise budget plan. The budget negotiated on a bipartisan basis between the legislative leaders restores crucial education funding and enacts many long term changes to how the state operates.

The plan passed the Senate 33-3 Wednesday evening and by 126-23 the following day. The budget awaits action from the governor. If this budget goes into effect, it will bring an end to Governor Malloy’s executive orders which would have cut Enfield by $26 million in aid and school funding.

“I am proud of many of the important reforms that are part of this compromise budget. The constitutional spending cap, the bonding cap, mandatory voting on union contracts and reducing municipal mandates,” said Representative Stokes. “Of particular concern was avoiding the Governor’s executive order which would have cut Enfield public schools by $21,000,000. This plan would restore most of our funding and provide a more stable path for our town.”

“As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am extremely proud of the first bipartisan budget that both the house and the Senate passed but was vetoed by the governor. That budget acted as the framework for the compromise budget that just was passed with a veto proof majority,” added Representative Hall. “In the face of Governor Malloy’s executive orders that would have cut millions from our public schools this compromise budget was the best option to end the budget crisis. This plan is far from perfect but it includes many long term structural changes to state spending and borrowing that Republicans have fought for over many years and will put our state on a better path.”

Highlights of the budget include:

-Enacting the constitutional spending cap that was first approved by voters in 1992

-A $1.9 Billion cap on bonding, $500 million less than what was bonded last year

-A state employee hiring freeze

-Mandatory votes on union contracts

-Municipal mandate relief and prevailing wage reform, raising the threshold from $400,000 to $1 million

-Phased in tax reductions on pensions and social security

Proposals that were avoided in this budget:

-Shifting teachers pensions on to municipalities

-No tax on cell phones

-No restaurant tax

-No sales tax increase

-No income tax increase

-No tolls

Representative Hall concluded, “The work is not over, this compromise budget is only the first step towards solving the fiscal crisis.”