Sen. Miner to Malloy: Don’t Raise Our Taxes
February 7, 2017
Hartford- State Senator Craig Miner (R-Litchfield), Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, joined his House and Senate Republican colleagues today in unveiling a plan to reinstate nearly $20 million in education funding that was cut midyear to cities and towns throughout the state. The proposal would also eliminate the projected fiscal year 2017 budget deficit.
“This morning when I ate breakfast in Litchfield, the owner made sure to tell me, ‘Don’t let Governor Malloy raise my taxes!’” said Senator Miner. “The restaurant owner knew what was happening. Governor Malloy has run out of ideas. He is cutting money from towns, and the towns have to raise property taxes to make up the difference. The people aren’t fooled.”
In December, the Malloy Administration cut nearly $20 million of education funding from towns and cities across the state. Most towns had already made their budgets and were left scrambling to make up the funding.
“The Governor may have run out of ideas, but Republicans in Hartford haven’t,” continued Miner. “I was proud to stand with my colleagues and put forward a plan to restore these cuts and fix the current year’s deficit, so municipalities aren’t hoodwinked again.”
The Connecticut Constitution guarantees that its citizens have a right to a publically financed education. An ongoing lawsuit has challenged the state government’s unequal allocation of education dollars. Similar actions to Governor Malloy’s midyear cuts have been used by the plaintiffs as evidence of the “irrationality” of the state’s funding scheme.
“The state has a duty according to the Connecticut Constitution to provide every child an education,” continued Miner. “For years, governors and legislators have time and again abrogated that duty by monkeying around with funding formulae and cutting promised money. Republicans in Hartford are saying ‘enough is enough’ and are prepared to fix the problem.”
State Senator Craig Miner Represents the 30th Senatorial District which includes Brookfield, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Morris, North Canaan, New Milford, Litchfield, Salisbury, Sharon, Warren, Winchester, and parts of Torrington. He can be reached at www.SenatorMiner.com and on Facebook @CraigMiner