Lauretti Says He's 'Fed Up With the Idiocy'

After 22 years in office and looking at numerous state budgets, Mayor Mark Lauretti says Gov. Dannel Malloy's budget proposal is nothing new.

"We're just fed up with the idiocy that comes out of [the state legislature]," he said Friday.

Specifically, a proposal to restrict car taxes to vehicles worth at least $28,000 "makes [legislators] look good" by appearing to cut taxes on the middle class.

But, "it puts the pressure on us," Lauretti said. "Municipalities have to make up that money at the end of the day."

Shelton stands to lose at least $6 million under the car tax bill.

He noted that he doesn't blame Shelton's representatives in Hartford. "They're not the problem. They're in the minority," he said.

The mayor added that in 22 years, he has seen many state budgets. "This stuff is not new. This stuff has been going on for years."

In general, he opposes more taxes. He cited the passage of the coneyance tax on home sales and Obamacare.

Voters "went with Obamacare and there's 23 taxes in Obamacare," Lauretti said.

Giving Back Government Grants

Lauretti also opposed government grants and other state aid because they ultimately cost the taxpayers more.

For example, he said, a $50,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation may not cover the costs of a project because of all the DOT guidelines.

Spending more money "doesn't mean you get a better product," he said.

Looking forward, he said, "These are challenging times. We're certainly going to have our challenges."