Rep. O’Dea, General Assembly Passes Compromise Budget Adjustment
Tax Increases and Tolls were Rejected, Core Services Restored
HARTFORD – State Representative Tom O’Dea (R-New Canaan, Wilton), Deputy House Republican Leader-at-Large, voted in favor of a compromise budget adjustment plan during the final hours of the 2018 Session, May 9th, 2018.
“The budget adjustment we passed last week had just enough positives in it to win my support, but I will admit that the Republican amendment we proposed was much better,” Rep. O’Dea said. “The adjustment restores funding for the Medicare Savings Program, which assists over 100,000 seniors in the state, and provides municipal aid and education funding to our towns all without increasing taxes. We also fully fund scheduled transportation projects without resorting to tolls.”
Republican lawmakers offered a budget adjustment proposal that offered necessary fiscal reforms to a state government that has lived above its means for decades. House Republicans called their budget adjustment as an amendment during debate on the compromise plan, but the amendment was rejected on near party line votes. Although the alternative compromised bipartisan budget did not contain all of the GOP initiatives, it laid the framework for a spending and revenue plan that will provide stability and sustainability for the future that were part of the original Republican proposal.
The compromise budget fully funds transportation projects, realizes $7 million in savings by adopting a hard hiring freeze, fully restores the MSP to 211 percent, provides $2 million to Department of Veterans’ Affairs, $5 million for emergency placement for Department of Developmental Services patients, and brings the state’s portion of funding for the Retired Teachers’ Healthcare fund to 33 percent. The plan also includes some recommendations from the Fiscal Stability Commission. These recommendations include studies on tax and spending reform measures that will accelerate business growth, as well as a thorough review of the Teachers’ Retirement System.
“I think we can do much better in future budget sessions, specifically in regards to union labor contracts, our unfunded liabilities, and tax reform, but I believe we made progress this session and I am proud of that,” Rep. O’Dea concluded.
S.B.543, An Act Concerning Revisions to the State Budget for Fiscal Year 2019 and Deficiency Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018, passed the House 142-8 and the Senate unanimously. It now awaits Governor Malloy’s signature.
Check out Rep. O’Dea’s interview with David Smith on “Meet the Leaders” from May 7, 2018.