Democrats Want to Spend More, Majority Party Makes No Cuts

HARTFORD—Democrats today ignored the gigantic budget hole they created last September and proposed spending $373 million more while taxing hospitals by $200 million, Rep. John Piscopo said. The Appropriations Committee budget offered today includes no cuts of any significance and will only add to the long-term debt the state continues to run up, said Finance Committee member Piscopo. “We’ve got a mountain of debt before us, businesses are closing and unemployment numbers are approaching double digits, and here’s the majority party proposing a huge spending increase,” he said. “It’s been a turbulent couple of years here and I thought I’d seen everything, but this takes the cake.”Piscopo and his Republican colleagues have repeatedly offered alternative budget proposals that consolidate state agencies, eliminate waste and reduce costs and the size of government.

Meanwhile, Connecticut has lost more than 90,000 jobs.

The committee passed the proposal.

“Democrats at the Capitol just don’t seem to get it,” Piscopo said. “People out there are struggling and the state’s budget problems will only make lives more difficult—they’re looking to the legislature to provide solutions. That’s why they elected us. When they hear about this, they’ll be let down.”

Republicans have pleaded with the Democratic majority to act on a deficit mitigation plan months ago to eliminate the current $500 million deficit to no avail.

Now there are just two months left in the fiscal year and no chance to enact savings.