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Danbury Mayor critical of Governor's new budget proposal

Governor Dannel  Malloy is calling on non-union state employees and elected officials to pay 20 percent of their health care benefits as part of his revised plan to cover next fiscal year's entire deficit, which has grown to as much as $933 million.  They currently pay an average of 12 percent.

He also proposed scaling back plans to divert some sales tax revenues to reduce property taxes.  The plan also scraps a proposed sales tax sharing initiative with municipalities.  Communities with property tax rates above 32 mills would have received sales tax dollars to make up the difference.

 

Malloy's proposal eliminates $775,000 in funding for community health centers, which is used to secure matching federal funding.

The Democrat on Tuesday released a revised $19.7 billion plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. He said it contains no tax increases.  His previous budget released in February was based on a projected $570 million deficit, which later worsened.

 

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton called the proposals disappointing.

 

He says the state hasn't managed its finances properly and that means every municipality will have to pay for that, which really means that taxpayers in every city and town will have to pay for it.

 

Boughton says the insanity continues at the capital.  While the state has cut municipal aid, he says the municipalities have been required to provide more benefits for employees and services to residents in the form of unfunded mandates.

 

He says the Governor and legislature should be ashamed that they've let this go on for years and haven't addressed it.  He says the chickens have now come home to roost.  Boughton added that May 4th, the day the General Assembly session adjourns, can't come soon enough.

 

Boughton, known for his comical Twitter account, tweeted asking if Danbury should give back state aid, secede from Connecticut and form its own state.

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