Boucher asks ‘what will it take?’ for Malloy to veto budget [Redding Pilot]

Article as it appeared in the Redding Pilot

What will it take to make Governor Malloy veto this bad budget? Instead of a $2 billion tax hike, Malloy proposed a $1.8 billion hike. Taxpayers are still crushed and businesses will still suffer.

Since this Governor and the majority party negotiated the budget behind closed doors, nearly half a dozen major companies have threatened to leave Connecticut, other states are wooing their business and thousands of people have spoken up to say stop the tax hikes. In fact, more than 14,000 people have signed the No New CT Tax petition and hundreds have called to say this budget hurts them.

This governor’s policies are impacting the real estate market in Connecticut and the job market. Will companies be reassured by this recent gesture to scale back the tax hike, or will this leave a bad taste in their mouth? Sadly, they will be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Historically, bad budgets like this would have never seen the light of day. But we have a legislature that is callous to the effect tax hikes have on businesses and the working poor families living in our state. They just push these policies through.

Not talked about at all in this latest round of political theatre is how to fix the underlying problem. The financial structure of the state remains unsteady. This proposal does nothing to fix the government addiction of spending too much and borrowing for operating expenses. And the governor still leaves $300 million on the table from savings promised by unions back in 2010 – promises that have never been fulfilled.

We will continue to have deficits if these structural changes are not fixed. It is critical the final budget give tax payers and businesses reassurances that there will be a stable future for them to survive here, for them to build business and continue a good quality life. That can only happen if Governor Malloy vetoes this budget and brings all parties to the table to negotiate a budget from scratch.”