House Republicans Offer Plan to Balance FY25 Budget

Currently, majority members of the Appropriations Committee have chosen not to make any adjustments to the biennium budget. If no action is taken, the governor would have the discretionary authority to make cuts or funding increases outside of the legislative session.

Inaction by the committee is unacceptable, and in lieu of doing nothing and/or leaving it up to the governor, my House Republican colleagues put forth our proposal aimed at honoring the fiscal guardrails, pursuing structural reforms, focusing on affordability, and increasing funding for local education.

This plan includes:

• $236 million more in local education funding, including an additional $79 million more for surging special education costs.
• $12 million in increased reimbursement rates ($120 per hour to $167) to Birth to Three child services providers.
• $12 million (match Gov’s proposal) for the Care4Kids program.
• Eliminates the “Truck Tax.”
• $7 million more in Medicaid rates to behavioral health providers, mental health services for kids ($7m)
• $3.6 million more to municipalities to assist with the implementation of early voting.
• Keep a scheduled $42m deposit to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund that Democrats would forgo
• Provide CT Foodshare allocation (H.B. 5011) ($2million)
• Supply $1 million allocation for homeless shelter needs

Our budget does not tap into any remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, leaving at least $200 million available for acute needs – such as funding for non-profit service, social providers, childcare investments, or higher education.