Legislative Update

Just months after the legislature passed the state budget, which I did not support, it fell out of balance despite repeated warnings by me and my fellow Republican colleagues.

Following public outcry from Connecticut citizens upset over Governor Malloy’s cuts aimed at hospitals, Medicaid and our most-vulnerable residents, the governor finally agreed to let Republicans in to negotiations and agreed to hold bi-partisan talks to address the problem.

Over the last few months, leaders from both the Republican and Democrat caucuses and Governor Malloy engaged in budget discussions to try and deal with the $350 million budget deficit that was facing the state. Republicans insisted the immediate deficit be addressed without raising taxes, and that long-term structural changes to the way core government functions and services are funded be made to prevent future deficits from crippling the state further. Those budget talks failed when Democrats refused to include long-term structural reforms as part of the final deficit mitigation plan.

On December 8, Governor Malloy called the legislature into a special session to vote on the final plan to cut the projected deficit. While the deficit mitigation plan makes changes to many of the business tax increases we had been advocating for, including restoring some funding to hospitals, it also raids $35 million from the transportation fund and provides no structural changes needed to address the projected deficits Connecticut faces next year ($358 million in July) and in 2018-19 ($3.5 billion). The plan instead is a band-aid approach to the deficit, stopping short of making significant long-term reforms.

An amendment was put forth by House Republicans, which included the bipartisan business tax rollbacks, eliminated cuts to social services, including all of the hospital cuts, closed the current deficit, and included a package of long-term structural measures that would prevent future deficits. I supported the amendment but it was defeated along party lines.

The final deficit mitigation plan passed without one single Republican vote in both the House and Senate. I could not vote for this deficit mitigation plan because it is a short-sighted, temporary fix which almost guarantees that we will be dealing with deficits again in the future because the majority party refused to include the necessary, long-term structural changes that would bring about meaningful reform.

Connecticut remains in a fiscal crisis. How can we expect a different outcome with a state government that engages in the same cycle of overspending and increasing taxes? We need systemic changes that address the root problem of government spending. The residents of Connecticut deserve better than a patchwork approach from their state government.

Looking forward to 2016, I will continue to fight for the long-term structural reforms we need to restore stability and predictability to our economy, and rebuild the confidence of businesses and residents in Connecticut as a place to live, work, and retire. We have to implement serious reforms if we want to turn our weak economy around and stop the exodus of jobs and residents from our state. It is time to stop the cycle of tax hikes and annual budget crises. I continue to hear from my constituents, who are fed up, too.  We can and must do better.

The 2016 legislative session will begin February 3. I welcome your thoughts on our state budget situation, and also on what you feel the top priorities of the upcoming session should be.

Please feel free to contact me via email at Lezlye.Zupkus@housegop.ct.gov or call my office at 800-842-1423.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and my best in the coming New Year!