Hartford- Today, State Rep. Arthur O’Neill (Roxbury, Washington. Bridgewater and Southbury) voted no on a proposal which forces towns that currently have a resident state trooper to pay additional costs.
According to the new legislation, the town’s responsibility for resident state trooper overtime and fringe benefit costs will increase, from 70% to 100%. Towns will continue to pay 70% of regular costs and other expenses.
Rep. O’Neill said, “I understand the need to find state savings but this proposal helps balance the budget on the backs of our small communities, who are already struggling to make cuts to their local budgets.”
An amendment by Rep. Miner of Litchfield, which Rep. O’Neill supported, to eliminate this punitive provision on towns was defeated by a near party line vote.
Rep. O’Neill added, “It’s another case of small towns getting the shaft. When will Hartford listen and give our towns relief.”
“This proposal was actually resurrected by the Democrats as an Emergency Certified bill one day after I voted with the majority in the Appropriations committee to kill this exact same proposal. This is a maneuver to subvert and circumvent the committee process,” added Rep. O’Neill.
