Rep. David Rutigliano Hails Bi-partisan Budget Vote

Addresses Long-Term Fiscal Problems

HARTFORD – State Representative David Rutigliano (R-123) applauded passage of a bi-partisan, no-tax-increase budget that preserves the social safety net, restores funding to core social services and education, provides stability to local municipalities and rejects Governor Malloy’s plan to shift teacher pension costs onto local taxpayers.

In a stunning display of bipartisanship that hasn’t been seen in decades, the State Senate, with support from Democrat Senators Hartley, Doyle and Slossberg, tonight voted 21-15 to approve the Republican no-tax-increase budget before it was sent to the House. It passed the House with five House Democrats supporting the measure on a vote of 77 to 73.

“This bipartisan budget puts taxpayers and job creators first, not special interests. This budget was the best budget on the negotiation table for Trumbull families, as it restored education funding stripped by the governor,” said Rep. Rutigliano. “By prioritizing spending and making real structural changes we were able to fund critical services without tax increases. This is only the first step on what will be a long road to recovery, much damage has been done over years, and it will take time to fix.”

Highlights of the bi-partisan budget:

• No increase or expansion of the state’s sales tax
• No income tax increase
• No secondary home tax
• No cell phone tax
• No increase to the cigarette tax
• No new tax on nonprescription drugs
• No new restaurant sales tax
• No increase to the pistol permit fee
• No increase to the hotel tax
• No new fantasy sports tax
• Restores funding for the state’s property tax credit in its entirety to all families and individuals
• Eliminates Social Security income tax and phases out tax on pension income for middle class

For more detailed information on our proposal, please go to http://www.cthousegop.com/budget/.