A local lawmaker is critical of parts of Governor Lamont's proposed budget for the next two fiscal years. 

Newtown Representative Mitch Bolinsky says about 45-percent of the funding comes from the Federal Government and that will leave major budget deficits in the future.  He notes that previous governors papered over budget deficits with one-time revenues and it led Connecticut into a large financial hole once those dollars were expended.  

Bolinsky says Connecticut has a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ on the horizon because of an aging workforce.  Bolinsky recently met with Budget Chief Melissa Macaw about the upwards of 25% of the state workforce retiring in the next 18-months.  He says the state should modernizing operations and invest in the technology needed to both serve taxpayers better and to create significantly greater organizational efficiencies. 

The Appropriations Committee will be having public hearings on the proposed budget.  Bolisnky is a ranking member of two subcommittees and serves on three others.  State agency budget presentations and public hearings are being held from Thursday through March 1st.