Senator Kelly Releases Statement Re: Senate Approval of Bipartisan Budget

October 26, 2017

HARTFORD, Conn. – Today State Senator Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) released the following statement regarding the budget that was approved in the State Senate in Hartford. This bipartisan budget makes significant structural changes and takes important steps to put Connecticut back on a path of fiscal responsibility.

“The bipartisan budget negotiations that took place this year were historic and allowed Republicans, for the first time in many years, to have a true voice at the table,” said Sen. Kelly. “This budget offers middle-class families a tax break by eliminating the tax on social security and pension income, while also providing for essential social services for the most vulnerable Connecticut residents. It allowed us to fight back against damaging tax increases, to preserve a significant amount of municipal aid and to implement important structural changes that will help to put our state on a better path. These structural changes include a strong spending cap – something that was promised to taxpayers 20 years ago. It also includes a bonding cap which is nearly $1 billion less than what Governor Malloy has bonded in recent years, this will finally begin to bridle Connecticut’s out of control spending.”

“In addition to the structural changes we were also able to protect core social services like the Care4Kids Program and funding for Day and Employment services for individuals with disabilities. We also protect America’s greatest generation – our seniors – by restoring funding to the Connecticut Home Care Program, restoring funding for the personal needs allowance, restoring funding for Meals on Wheels and Non-ADA dial-a-ride,” said Sen. Kelly.

“At the end of the day, this is a budget that can move our state forward, a budget that begins to handle the finances of our state responsibly, a budget that charts a new course for our state,” said Sen. Kelly.

The bipartisan budget passed the State Senate in a vote of 33-3 and now heads to the House of Representatives.