Rep. Zupkus Legislative Update

We are weeks away from gaveling out of the 2017 Legislative Session, which will come to an end at midnight on June 7th.  A bipartisan budget agreement has yet to be negotiated and approved. At the end of April, I joined my House Republican colleagues to release a no-tax-increase budget proposal, which focused on making long-term structural changes, reducing the size of the state government, and reining in out-of-control state spending.

Days later, we received more bad news about our state’s fiscal house; final tax revenue numbers were released showing a massive drop in state revenues. The current fiscal year, ending June 30th, will close with an approximate $389.8 million shortfall, and the following two fiscal years are predicted to have deficits of $2.3 billion and $2.7 billion. This meant that we will close our fiscal year in deficit for the third straight year and that both our budget and the governor’s budget needed to be revised to reflect the new deficit numbers.

On Tuesday, May 16th, our caucus released a revamped budget that would eliminate the projected $5 billion budget deficit, while still increasing school funding for all towns, reducing the corporate surcharge and mitigating municipal aid losses by reallocating funds. To accomplish all of this, we are seeking to make common sense reforms to our state government such as increasing copays that state employees pay for office visits from $0 to $10 and copays for generic prescription drugs from $0 to $10. Dental premiums would also go from $0 to $10. We are also asking state employees to contribute 6% into their pension plans. We are not just targeting state employees, as some may suggest. We are making serious structural changes by establishing an actual spending cap with tight restrictions and reducing state bonding to 2013 levels.

Our leaders are at the negotiating table with the governor and legislative Democrats and holding their ground that we will not accept a budget that increases taxes. The Democrats current budget proposal increases taxes by $450 million; $240 million comes from legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana and the rest from unnamed increases to application and licensing fees. In addition, the governor’s budget pushes the state’s budgetary problems onto municipalities and increases new revenues by $600 million.

Restoring a balanced budget and long-term predictability and stability to Connecticut will take Democrats agreeing that the days of out-of-control spending and reckless borrowing cannot continue. Democrats in Hartford need to join us on the same pathway and show Connecticut residents that we are ready to come together to save the State of Connecticut. We owe it to residents, businesses, and municipalities to pass a bipartisan no-tax-increase budget by June 7th.

Please continue to send me your thoughts about our current budget proposal. You can review the House Republican budget by visiting cthousegop.com/budget. I ask that you also follow me on Facebook for frequent Capitol updates and to visit my website, RepZupkus.com, for updates. I will stay committed to working for your best interests in Hartford and will remain vocal against increasing taxes.

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