No New Taxes, No Cuts In Education Aid To Shelton
Senator Dan Debicella (R-21), Representative Lawrence Miller (R-122), and Jason Perillo (R-113) praised Governor M. Jodi Rell’s proposed $38.4 billion two-year state budget as a responsible plan for preserving necessary government programs and services without burdening state residents with new sales and income taxes.
“The Governor’s budget has no new taxes, and maintains Shelton’s educational funding at $5 million,” Senator Debicella said. “Not raising taxes and maintaining the historic 9% increase in state education aid Shelton received in the last two years are my top priorities-and Governor Rell delivered on both.”
According to Debicella, the Governor closed an estimated $6 billion budget deficit by shrinking the size of state government. Governor Rell’s budget eliminates 800 state employee positions, eliminates or consolidates 23 state agencies, seeks union concessions of $550 million, requires higher co-payments in Medicaid, and increases some state fees and license costs.
“I strongly support the no tax increase budget Governor Rell unveiled today. It will help bring Connecticut out of the current recession without doing permanent harm to our state’s economy, create and preserve jobs, encourage business growth and maintain our competitive advantage with other states when we emerge from the recession,” said Representative Miller. “While her targeted spending cuts, elimination of 400 currently vacant state government positions, and merging several state agencies to eliminate duplication and waste may cause some temporary pain, over the long term, it will mean a more efficient and responsive state government that will restore prosperity and full employment and will better serve the people of Connecticut in the years ahead.”
“Governor Rell took the right tone in her budget address,” said Representative Perillo. “She made the important point that families across the state are cutting back on their spending and making do with less and that state government should do so as well. Although she called for reduced spending for non-essential projects and programs, she showed her understanding of the plight of local property taxpayers by keeping state aid to local school districts at current levels. She also called for repealing or modifying unfunded state mandates on our towns and cities, which are one of the main reasons property taxes are becoming such a burden on the people of our state. This is a budget I can support.”
