The legislature's Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee has advanced a budget plan. Representative Toni Walker says their plan is a little better than the Governor's proposals when it comes to the impact on programs and the public.
Payment in Lieu of Taxes payments were changed a bit. PILOT was taken out of the ECS grant and put into its own grant. But the Committees ultimately cut it by $11-million
Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, whose district includes Newtown, says he hopes Republicans will have a role in upcoming negotiations.
The committee budget plan still makes big cuts in aide to Hospitals while giving raises to judges and preserving most aid to municipalities to compensate for revenue losses due to tax exempt state facilities. Western Connecticut Health Network, which includes Danbury and New Milford Hospitals, stands to lose 30-million dollars.