Letter: Sredzinski Rejects "Compromised" Malloy Budget

From The Office Of State Rep. JP Sredzinski

HARTFORD – State Representative JP Sredzinski (R-112) today rejected the “compromise budget” proposed by Governor Malloy and reminded taxpayers that tax increases have often resulted from budget discussions between the governor and legislative Democrats over the past six years.

The governor’s revised budget proposal calls for a major increase in state taxes on hospitals, as well as a sales tax hike from 6.35% to 6.5% in order to balance the budget. In return for those tax increases, the governor’s budget would restore some of the municipal aid he suggested cutting in earlier proposals and aligns his budget more closely with the House Democrats’ proposal.

The House of Representatives is set to convene on September 14th with the goal being to vote on and pass a two-year budget. House Republicans are set to unveil a fifth iteration of a balanced budget proposal this week prior to the budget vote. This budget would maintain current levels of funding for municipalities without raising taxes by making structural changes to state government as a way to cut spending.

"My worst suspicions about the budget process seem to be coming to fruition – that the governor and majority leadership had no interest in negotiating with Republicans or considering our ideas to reform the bureaucracy,” said Rep. Sredzinski. “While the restoration of some municipal aid funding certainly avoids a worst-case scenario for the towns of Monroe and Newtown, it looks like higher property taxes and other fee increases may be inevitable, even though they are not necessary.”

“I will reiterate that a budget with tax increases is not the only option for the State of Connecticut,” added Rep. Sredzinski. “I intend on supporting and voting for the House Republican no-tax increase budget proposal which still maintains flat levels of municipal funding statewide. We've seen two record tax hikes in the past six years that have completely failed to fix our fiscal crisis. Instead of tax increases, we need to reduce our spending and find creative ways to make state government more efficient.”

When the month of September began, it was the third month in which Connecticut lacked a two-year budget for the new fiscal year that began on July 1st.