HARTFORD – In response to a budget proposal released by Connecticut Democrats, which seeks to weaken the state’s fiscal guardrails, State Representative Tammy Nuccio, R-Tolland and the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement. The budget proposal advanced out of the Appropriations Committee on Tuesday evening:

“As predicted, the budget proposed by the majority completely disregards the guardrails. It increases spending beyond reasonable limits. Over the two-year biennium we grow the general fund spending by over 10% and exceed the Constitutional spending cap by over $272 million. This budget adds dozens of state jobs while ignoring the more than 2,600 current open positions and looks to grow government at a time when we should be reducing expenses.

Residents of this state are struggling to pay their electric bills and to purchase basic necessities, but the out-of-touch solution from the majority is to raise spending by more than 10%? It represents a reckless departure from the fiscal responsibility that has stabilized Connecticut’s economy since 2017.

During the meeting, I offered an amendment which would have fully funded special education. This measure would have met the states responsibility for excess cost and reduced local tax burden.

That same amendment would have offset that increase by reducing the astronomical increase in funding to higher education in this budget, including a reduction of more than $40 million to the State Colleges & Universities, which currently has $685 million in reserves and whose leader has engaged in questionable spending.

The majority rejected that and instead added $168 million over two years WITHOUT the offset, effectively increasing state spending over the Constitutional cap. More spending, less savings and taxpayers get the short end.

By attempting to spend more than the constitutional allowable amount, the majority is jeopardizing the financial discipline that has led to paying down debt and building substantial reserves. The residents of the state overwhelmingly voted to enact a spending cap and built it into our Constitution, it is not simply a law, but part of our Constitution. This budget not only betrays future generations by saddling them with more debt, but it more importantly increases the state’s spending far beyond what residents see each day in their pocketbooks.

Should the state be spending higher than our residents can afford? I, for one, think the answer is no.”

Rep. Nuccio’s comments on the proposed spending package can be viewed below: