Greenwich Delegation Joins Republicans in Outlining Detailed Spending Plan

HARTFORD – State Representatives Livvy Floren (R-149), Mike Bocchino (R-150), and Fred Camillo (R-151) joined fellow GOP colleagues Friday in announcing a two-year $39.49 billion state budget alternative that plans responsibly for the future while falling under the constitutional spending cap and addressing Connecticut’s immediate needs.

The Republican biennium budget, entitled “Blueprint for Prosperity,” restores funding to social and human services, limits long-term borrowing, consolidates a number of state commissions, and provides exemptions on clothing and shoes under $50.

“This budget provides a long term fix to what the administration acknowledges as our “permanent fiscal crisis.” The Blueprint for Prosperity restores funding for the safety net and does not further burden our children with more taxes. It is responsible and puts Connecticut on a path to prosperity,” said Sen. Scott Frantz.

“The middle class is in great need of relief. The reforms in our budget provide that with a tax cut that will help working and middle class families, which in turn will create a domino effect that stimulates businesses and increases sales. The two year “fixes” need to be a thing of the past. We now need a bolder, more forward reaching plan that sets Connecticut on a path to prosperity, and this budget proposal does that,” said Rep. Camillo.

“This budget puts Connecticut on the path to fiscal health for the long term, it stays under the spending cap all the while taking care of our state’s neediest citizens and lifting some of the tax burden from companies that employ the citizens of our state,” said Rep. Floren.

Hoping to reduce the flight of seniors heading out of state, Blueprint phases out the income tax on pension income under $100,000 and, looking to attract younger residents, eliminates the governor’s proposed income tax hike on single filers.

“In order for Connecticut to sustain itself, we need to start attracting younger citizens to our state and keeping our recent college graduates here. Too many times we here about college graduates saying that Connecticut is too expensive to live in, and despite aspirations of wanting to settle down here, they are forced to move elsewhere. This budget alleviates their tax burden by eliminating the proposed income tax hike on single filers, said Rep. Bocchino.

Also included in the Republican proposal is a transportation initiative that is fully funded and does not include the implementation of tolls.

The Republican plan reduces long-term debt by instituting a bond allocation cap and a new policy to stop the use of excessive bond premiums. It also identifies future labor savings by getting excessive overtime costs under control and creating a new Office of Overtime Accountability.

To view the complete plan, click here: http://cthousegop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/BlueprintProsperityLongForm.pdf

For more information, click here: http://cthousegop.com/blueprint/