An Irresponsible Budget

Last week I voted against several bills to implement the $37.6 billion biennial state budget. While there were a few portions of the legislation that I supported, such as delaying in-school suspension, I could not put my vote of approval on any part of the irresponsible budget that was passed several weeks ago. To date, the legislature has acted on four deficit mitigation packages and the recently adopted budget drains the Rainy Day Fund, raises taxes by $1 billion and borrows another $2 billion. Just this week Democratic Comptroller Nancy Wyman warned the General Assembly that the state may be facing a $500 million shortfall in the near future.

I voted against the budget last month and its implementers last week because Connecticut families and businesses cannot afford the new taxes, the increased fees, or the continued level of government spending it requires. Important programs all over the state are now facing serious cuts because the majority party could not figure out a way to prioritize and make difficult decisions for the greater good of our state. Among the many negative aspects of this budget is the possibility of fare increase for Metro North commuters. If we were to cut as little as $20 million each year out of this biennial budget, we could avoid increasing train fares which make living in Connecticut a viable option for many employees in the state of New York.

One bright spot in an otherwise disappointing session was the language contained in the education implementer to delay in-school suspension until 2010. I routinely speak with local elected officials in my district who have pleaded with me to repeal, or at the very least delay the requirement for in-school suspension. State mandates burden towns by forcing on them policies that cost money out of their town education budgets. The in-school suspension issue is a very clear example of a policy decision that should be made locally – or towns should receive full funding from the state to implement it.

Republican legislators offered several alternatives to the biennial state budget adopted last month that would have helped to make our state more competitive and save jobs. Unfortunately, none of our suggestions were taken up with the exception of delaying in-school suspension. The decision to raise taxes and fees rather than to make our state government smaller and more cost efficient, made it impossible for me to support both the budget and the implementing legislation last week.