The Connecticut Senate has overwhelmingly passed a two-year bipartisan state budget crafted by legislative leaders.
The Senate voted 33-3 in favor of the roughly $41 billion plan early Thursday morning. The House of Representatives was scheduled to vote later in the day on the same package. The budget bill was expected to clear the House.
For town funding totals, click here.
Danbury state Senator Mike McLachlan says the agreement doesn't make everyone happy, but could finally end the long budget stalemate and help address some of Connecticut's long-standing financial problems. Mclachlan says this should turn off the heat from Wall Street for the towns affected by an announcement by credit rating agency Moody's. Among the municipalities assigned negative outlooks because of state aid vulnerability is New Fairfield, New Milford and Oxford.
This budget includes a new Education Cost Sharing Formula that takes into account factors regarding the CCJEF court decision, enrollment, poverty, wealth and number of English Language Learners, among other factors. Wealthier towns with shrinking populations will see small decreases in aid and poorer towns with growing populations will see gradual increases in aid over time. For charter schools, per pupil grants are increased by $250 and funding is provided to allow for grade growth.
The budget bill will not redistribute the state’s teacher’s pension obligation to local governments. The budget exempts Social Security from the income tax, phases out the income tax on pensions and funds mental health and addiction services.
The budget implements a bipartisan “Passport to Parks” program dedicating a $10 biennial fee increase on motor vehicle registrations to fund parks and in exchange would allow free entrance to all state parks with a Connecticut license plate.
The credit against the personal income tax for local property taxes would be narrowed to two select groups of people. In the budget, only the elderly and taxpayers with dependent children will be able to claim a credit of up to $200.
Senator Toni Boucher says the budget restores funding to municipalities cut by the Governor’s executive order. Under the new budget, towns she represents will receive:
Bethel – $7,855,050 more
Redding – $311,103 more
Ridgefield – $717,094 more
Weston – $327,459 more
Wilton – $573,531 more
Connecticut has been without a budget in place since the fiscal year began July 1.
It remains uncertain whether Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will sign the budget agreement into law. Malloy received the details late in the day. Malloy has been running the state using his limited executive spending authority.
The Senate had planned to meet at 8 p.m. Wednesday, but the bill had to be redrafted when a mistaken calculation was found at about 9:30. The Senate session didn’t start until 11 p.m.
