Republicans release plan to fix state budget mess [WTNH]

WTNH

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — State Republicans are weighing in with their plan to fix Connecticut’s budget mess. They don’t call for a tax hike, but the plan would likely strike a sour note with state workers.

Some Democrats hint that the proposal may be dead on arrival, including Governor Dannel Malloy, who wholeheartedly disagrees with the Republican proposals. However, other Democratic leaders actually agree with several Republican goals.

“We want to start a dialogue, a conversation, putting forth a new idea,” said Senator Len Fasano, R-North Haven.

Republican leaders say their budget is better than the Governor’s, restoring proposed cuts to programs that help a broad array of people, including those with autism and senior citizens. They claim it would balance itself by overtime pay being cut and more closely monitored by the Legislature.

“When a budget seek to balance itself by cutting those services as opposed to looking in other directions, that’s when there’s a problem,” said Fasano.

The proposal is supposed to be a long-term solution instead of finding patchwork funding to close deficits.

“We sit here year after year and take band-aids and put it on problems,” said Representative Themis Klarides, R-Derby. “We all know those band-aids fall off.”

Governor Malloy issued a rebuttal statement, saying the Republican’s budget is based on unrealistic assumptions.

“The only way that this budget could be implemented would be to either illegally break state contracts or layoff thousands of hard-working, middle class families,” the statement says in part.
State Democrats are scheduled to release their alternative budget proposal next week, and the two sides come together to hash things out.