September 22, 2017

State Budget Update

This article was archived from the previous WordPress site. Formatting and media should be close, but may not match the original post perfectly.

Early last Saturday morning, in true bipartisan fashion, several brave Democratic lawmakers from both the House and Senate joined their fellow Republican colleagues to vote on a state budget proposal.

The timing of this budget agreement couldn’t come at a more important time for the residents and municipalities of Connecticut as the governor’s executive order deadline (October 1st) looms right around the corner.

While this budget is far from perfect, it does increase educational funding (through a new ECS formula), provides mandate relief and municipal support over the biennium by not putting our teachers retirement costs back on to the municipalities. It funds core social services, prioritizes the state’s transportation needs, supports seniors by lower taxes for retirees and eliminates the tax on social security, includes structural changes (bond cap, spending cap), restores funding for core social services that help our most vulnerable residents, and reduces the size of government (10% on certain agencies).

Over the last few days, I’ve heard concerns, and many untruths, about higher education cuts, namely to UConn. Our budget provides $1 BILLION to UConn and initiates purchasing/contracting flexibility so the university can save money and enhance revenues. It also reduces funding to UConn by no longer allowing employees’ children to attend tuition-free and asking professors to teach one additional class. It scales back an expensive, bloated administrative system — so we can restore essential funding for core state services such as employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, substance abuse treatment to combat the escalating opioid epidemic, the Care4Kids program for working families, and the CT Home Care program that helps seniors age in place.

The bipartisan support shown this past weekend deserves the governor’s signature and support, not a veto. If vetoed, our residents and municipalities would be faced with massive and extensive cuts from the governor as part of his executive order. If rejected, these devastating cuts would go into effect on October 1st and would ultimately prolong our chance to get back to the positive steps that were made during this historic vote.

Months ago, Governor Malloy asked lawmakers to send a budget to his desk that didn’t lead with tax increases. He now has that bipartisan budget awaiting his signature.

I urge you to contact the governor’s office at (800) 406-1527 and let Governor Malloy know you’d like him to support this bipartisan budget.

For More Information on the Bipartisan Budget:
Budget Myths vs. Facts
Questions & Answers
Budget Summary
Structural Changes
Municipal Runs
How the Deficit is Solved