A Better Way

Since April of 2008, Republicans have been sounding the alarm on the need to reinvent state government as we know it in order to face the budget crisis we all knew was on the horizon. Unfortunately, Democrats have failed to respond to changing economic conditions over the past year and are now expecting Connecticut taxpayers to foot the bill for their procrastination to the tune of $3.3 billion – the largest tax increase in state history.

State Republicans believe the Democrats plan is heading entirely in the wrong direction and will only serve to increase the financial burden on middle class families and small businesses already struggling to make ends meet.

We know there is a better way. To that end, we set out to draft our own budget proposal – a balanced budget we would pass if we were in the majority. We approached this process from the principal that state government must first exhaust all responsible options for reducing spending and creating efficiencies in the way we do business. Many of the decisions we faced were difficult. Many of the cuts are deep. But, the result is a balanced budget proposal that makes government live within its means and does not raise taxes.

Connecticut taxpayers simply cannot afford the government majority Democrats have created. Over the past six years, state government has grown 36 percent from a budget of $13.6 billion in 2003 to $18.5 billion. At the same time, state auditors and independent news outlets are uncovering examples of government waste and inefficiency everyday. When the state Department of Social Services auditors report, as they recently did, that the state has been sending benefits checks to deceased people, the residents of Connecticut have a right to expect their government to get its own fiscal house in order before reaching into the pockets of taxpayers for a bailout.

Republicans are going to do everything in our power to prevent the Democrats’ proposed $3.3 billion tax increase from becoming a reality. We will continue to drive budget discussions towards solutions that streamline state government and reduce spending.