Rep. Reddington-Hughes, House Republicans Unveil Biennial Budget Proposal

2024-2025 plan provides more tax relief than Governor and Democrats, invests in key areas including education and nonprofit social safety net providers

State Representative Karen Reddington-Hughes (R-66) today joined the House Republican caucus to unveil a balanced, two-year $51.9 billion budget that provides more than $1 billion in both immediate and long-term tax relief to the middle class, makes historic and much-needed investments in education, and provides substantial funding for nonprofits.

“Once again, Republicans are leading by example and today’s budget shows that it is possible for our state to operate well within its means while also making incredible investments in education for our children, programs for our seniors and the most vulnerable, and still providing more than $1 billion in much-needed tax relief for Connecticut’s hard-working middle class,” Rep. Reddington-Hughes said. “Our plan is a distinct improvement over what has been previously been presented by the majority party and I am cautiously optimistic that many of our proposals will be included in the final budget document.”

The House Republican plan constrains overall spending growth in the general fund to less than zero percent in FY24 and 2.5 percent in FY25.  It also offers $1.16 billion in tax relief through a variety of means, including a retroactive structural middle-class income tax cut with additional relief for seniors and, for the first time, a state child tax deduction for everyone at a rate of $2,000 per child.

The Republican budget meets the challenge of funding core government services, and in several cases spends more in key areas than Democrats, including a $290 million investment in local education funding that provides fully funded special education grants (more than $50 million) for the first time. The budget matches Democrat-level funding for colleges and universities but also installs new reporting requirements for both the UConn and CSCU systems. The plan also provides a 2.5 percent increase for nonprofit service providers.

Summary of Republican Budget & Policy Points
(Download full documentation at taxreliefbudget.com)

Tax Relief for Connecticut Residents
($200 million more than Governor or legislative Democrats)

• Adopt but enhance Governor’s income tax cut proposal by using one-time $300 million of FY23 surplus to make it retroactive to January 2023. Removes benefit from top 1 percent earners
• Create first-ever state child tax deduction for everyone, $2,000 deduction per child
• Help job creators by restoring pass-through entity tax credit to 93.01 percent
• Eliminate Highway Use Tax on trucks
• Establish phase-out threshold for state tax on retirement income
• Eliminates sales tax on children’s clothing under $100

Supporting Students, Parents, Educators

• Invests $290 million in education, including $214 million to implement components of H.B. 5003, $20 million to hold harmless towns that would have seen an ECS decrease; fully funds special education grants ($50 million); funds Danbury charter school ($4 million)
• Expands support for Care4Kids program ($60 million)
• Increases minority teacher scholarship funding by $1 million
• Meets Democrats’ funding level on higher education, but requires oversight
• Increase parent representation on State BOE and Parent Cabinet

General Government

• Increases funding for nonprofit social service providers by 2.5 percent ($100 million)
• Fully funds effort to eliminate DSS waitlist
• Follow real-world hiring pattern in budgeting for open state employee positions, saves $200 million
• Increases investment in gun violence prevention programs
• Increases current services funding for rail and bus
• Eliminates proposed messaging program for inmates, saves taxpayers $3.5 million
• Enhanced 2-1-1 crisis services for housing and homelessness ($2.4 million)
• Reinstate Transportation Strategy Board to review investments and recommend savings
• Increases pay for assigned counsel in public defender cases ($23 million)
• Expands GPS monitoring for domestic violence offenders ($6 million)
• Increases funding to Women’s Business Development Council to almost $1 million
• Invests in firefighter training, creates $1 million support fund for families of fallen officers
• Doubles what Democrats provided for senior meals funding to $3 million

Greater detail at: taxreliefbudget.com