April 20, 2018

Rep. Zupkus – Republican Budget Prioritizes State Spending and Focuses on Reshaping State Government

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HARTFORD – State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus joined her Republican colleagues in the House and Senate today to offer an alternative budget proposal that fully eliminates the $321.5 million deficit and restores funding for core services.

“We need to address this budget deficit and the proposal we presented today is a step in the right direction,” said Rep. Zupkus. “We are listening to the frustrated Connecticut residents who are tired of government waste, the bailouts, and the unnecessary taxes they have to pay. Our budget plan prioritizes state spending and focuses on reshaping state government.”

Rep. Zupkus explained the Republican proposal funds the Medicare Savings Program, eliminates many of the governor’s proposals to increase taxes and provides necessary education and municipal aid funding to our local communities.

Republican Budget Highlights

Overview:
• Balances the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget in full.
• Balances the Special Transportation Fund, resulting in surpluses in each of the next 5 years. Implements Prioritize Progress, a long term transportation funding plan. Transit projects can move forward immediately.
• Restores funding for core government services, municipalities and education.
• Rejects governor’s drastic tax increases.
• Maintains tax breaks for seniors, retirees and working families. Maintains new retiree tax breaks contained in bipartisan budget for pension & social security income. Rejects governor’s proposal to eliminate $200 property tax credit which supports elderly and working families.
• Reduces the unfunded liabilities of the state including in the State Employees’ Retirement Fund, the Teacher’s Retirement Fund, and Retired Teacher’s Health Fund. Dedicates a minimum of $400 million to $600 million or higher to these unfunded liabilities.
• Shifts services to nonprofit providers without violating SEBAC as recommended by state agencies.

Funds the following programs:
• Restores funding for the Medicare Savings Program for those up to 175% of poverty, providing coverage to 158,099 people.
• Restores funding the governor proposed cutting to municipalities and education grants. Increases Municipal Aid $63 million more than the governor. Fully funds the Education Cost Sharing formula at FY 2019 enacted levels which is $85.6 million more than the current year. This rejects the governor’s proposals to reduce funding next year and carry forward education holdbacks. Does not zero out funding for any town as Democrat budget does.
• Fully funds Renters Rebate program, protecting 48,000 people. No longer shifts the expense onto municipalities.
• Restores funding for Elderly Nutrition Program, providing $2 million and rejecting the governor’s proposed cut to this vital service. Also makes this a separate line item to better protect this funding in the future.
• Preserves grants for substance abuse treatment and mental health care.
• Increases funding for retired teachers health care.
• Protects funding for fire training schools and eliminates governor’s cut.
• Restores funding for School Based Health Clinics.
• Protects Roberta Willis Scholarship for all current student recipients.
• Restores funding for Connecticard Program.
• Restores funding for the Hispanic Programs in DSS providing funding to nonprofits.
• Increases funding for emergency placements and employment and day services for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Includes new funding for regional workforce development boards.
• Provides funding for the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit, responsible for approving school security plans.
• Provides funding for the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit to ensure valid sales are entered into our database in a timely basis.
• Provides funding for Puerto Rico evacuees.
• Maintains money for STRIVE, rejecting the governor’s proposal to eliminate this funding. This program helps people coming out of prison get back into the workforce.
• Restores $2 million to fully staff the Connecticut state veterans hospital’s critical care unit.
• Continues tourism and cultural programs funding.
• Does not implement any cuts to Care 4 Kids.
• Continues enhanced reimbursement rate for primary care providers.
• Increases court support staff by $2 million.