The Connecticut House of Representatives has passed a $40.7 billion Republican-backed budget plan that the Senate approved and which Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has vowed to veto. The GOP plan relies on changes in state employee pensions after the current state union deal ends in 2027. Republicans say it achieves $270 million in savings.
Malloy says the Republican proposal "relies on too many unrealistic savings" and is "unbalanced."
Wilton Senator Toni Boucher praised the budget for not including tolls, something included in the last version the majority Democrats presented before the vote. She thanked her colleagues for putting party politics aside to vote for what they believe is a responsible proposal.
Danbury Senator Mike McLachlan says this has been a long year that saw multiple budgets and revisions, all with the goal of creating financial stability that would help grow the Connecticut economy. He believes the approved budget is the best one to meet the state's priorities for education, municipalities, and social services.
Senator Tony Hwang, whose district includes Newtown, says the legislatively-approved budget plan moves Connecticut in a new direction, generating a predictable, sustainable and transparent ecosystem where Connecticut businesses can thrive and grow.
Easton and Redding Representative Adam Dunsby says the approved budget combines government departments, mandates less overtime for state employees, and restricts state borrowing. He acknowledged that there are cuts some people won’t like, but given the state’s condition, there’s no other way.
Danbury Representative Michael Ferguson says the budget moves Connecticut forward and stops kicking the fiscal can down the road. He added that the budget also does not include devastating taxes or tolls.
Bethel Representative Will Duff says the legislature honored the Governor's repeated warnings not to produce a budget that was revenue driven. He also praised the budget, which is facing a veto, for eliminating Social Security income tax.
New Fairfield Representative Richard Smith says the bipartisan support that the budget received in the General Assembly puts the state in a position to make the necessary structural changes to turn Connecticut’s economy around. He also said Governor Malloy's promised veto would be a terrible move, imposing brutal funding cuts on local aid and education funding.
Brookfield Representative Steve Hardin says lawmakers had an obligation to pass a budget which did not raise taxes while also funding local schools, which he says they did. Harding urged the Governor to sign it into law and end the budget stalemate.
