April 27, 2015

Zupkus Applauds Budget Support for Vets, Needy Residents, Hospitals

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HARTFORD – State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus (R-89) joined fellow Republican lawmakers in holding a press conference on Apr. 24 at the State Capitol to announce an alternative to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s state budget proposal.

Zupkus said their plan, a Blueprint for Prosperity, accomplishes what the governor could not: it is balanced, under the spending cap, restores vital social service programs for the neediest and reforms taxes, while instituting government reforms to save hundreds of millions in the coming two years.

Zupkus also stated their proposal will benefit taxpayers, consumers, the developmentally disabled, businesses, non-profits, municipalities and hospitals. It also restores funding to the CT veterans’ honor guard, who provide graveside solutes and final military honors at the funerals of military veterans.

“This budget balances care and concern for the people of our state who need help while making vital reforms to make our government run more efficiently,” said Rep. Zupkus. “Also included in this budget is restoring current funding for our resident state troopers as well as funding our fire training schools. Public safety is a core function of government and I’m proud that this proposal supports those vital programs.”

Details from the budget proposal include:

Appropriates an additional $15 million to help alleviate DDS wait list for services for intellectually disabled
Restoring Medicaid Husky A to approximately 12,100 people including all pregnant women currently covered and those at lower end of the income spectrum
Restores funding for safety net services
Restores $18.7 million in mental health and substance abuse funding
Funds a private provider COLA to benefit nursing homes, care facilities and nonprofit social services providers
Funds 47 neighborhood youth centers
Fully funds a $67 billion transportation improvement initiative over the next 30 years and protects the Special Transportation Fund The ideas will be debated in the weeks leading up to the end of the 2015 legislative session on June 3.

The budget savings from the Blueprint for Prosperity is achieved by requiring Governor Malloy to fulfill his 2011 ‘shared sacrifice’ promise and find a way to reach $253 million in unmet savings. Republicans recommend Governor Malloy institute an additional wage freeze in the first year of the biennium, increase contributions to pension system for current state employees; increase copays for healthcare, including prescription drugs, and eliminates existence of longevity payments. It also identifies future labor savings by getting excessive overtime costs under control and creating a new Office of Overtime Accountability.

In addition to restoration of Governor Malloy’s draconian budget cuts, Republican lawmakers provide some much needed tax relief. The budget plan calls for restoring the exemption on clothing and shoes under $50 starting June 1, 2016 and restoring full tax freedom week. Additional the plan phases out the income tax on pension income under $100,000 and eliminates governor’s proposed income tax hike on single filers beginning in income year 2017.

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