Analyzing What President Trump's Budget Means For Connecticut

With Connecticut embroiled in fiscal crisis, President Donald Trump's administration unveiled a spending plan that trims funding across most government programs Tuesday. The $4.1 trillion proposal would cut funding to some of the state's social safety nets, but also calls for a boost in defense spending which could boost the state's robust defense industry.

The 2017-2018 plan reprioritizes spending by cutting many government programs and increasing funding for defense and homeland security. Gov. Dannel Malloy, who has had a contentious relationship with Trump, called the proposal "abysmal for working Americans." (To receive free news alerts from your hometown in Connecticut click here.)

"In an effort to provide his wealthy friends tax breaks and fund his own unpopular projects, the President is devastating critical environmental programs, undercutting important educational initiatives, and decimating human services programs to the detriment of the sick, elderly, and poor," said Malloy in a prepared statement.

Entitled "A New Foundation for American Greatness," the plan includes $839 billion in reductions that could impact the sick, the poor and the elderly. It also includes anticipated cuts to Medicaid that would happen if Congress successfully repeals Obamacare.

"Quite literally, if Congress passes Trump's budget, seniors would be kicked out of their homes and heroin addicts would be kicked out of treatment,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “They say a president's budget is a reflection of his values – if these are President Trump's values, then everyone in this country should be sickened."

The exact impact of cuts to Connecticut are currently unclear, but the Trump plan calls for a $193 billion cut to Food Stamps (SNAP) and welfare (TANF) by $21 billion, according to the Connecticut Post. Over 400,000 residents receive Food Stamps, and there are around 18,865 recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.

Federal Medicaid funding coming to Connecticut would be slashed on a 10.9 percent-per-person basis, according to the Urban Institute, a nonprofit social research group.

The CT Mirror reports that Trump's proposal would cut at least 20 percent from the Children's Health Insurance Program, a part of HUSKY Health which serves 16,000 children under the age of 19 statewide. The Trump budget would also limit the number of families that would qualify for the program, limiting eligibility to families with incomes under 250 percent of the poverty level compared to the current 300 percent benchmark.

Social Security Disability Insurance would become more difficult to qualify for, and the program would be cut by over $72 billion in 20 years.

However, Trump's $54 billion boost in defense spending figures to help Connecticut's defense industry. The budget includes $10.8 billion for 70 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, equipped with engines by Pratt & Whitney in Hartford, according to the Hartford Courant.

The budget also calls for $5.5 billion for attack submarines made by General Dynamics Electric Boat, based in Groton. Also under the spending plan, $1 billion would be spent on 48 Black Hawk helicopters and $1 billion for four CH-53k heavy lift helicopters by Stratford-based Sikorsky.

Patch file photo