Linares, MacLachlan Statement on Governor’s Funding Cuts Impacting Clinton Train Station

Clinton – State Senator Art Linares (R-Westbrook) and State Representative Jesse MacLachlan (R-Clinton) released the following statement regarding transportation project cuts made by the governor’s administration. In Clinton, these cuts are resulting in a delay in the Clinton Train Station project.

“We want to thank the many residents who shared their concerns with us over the past two weeks about this extremely important project. We also want to assure the community that we remain committed to fighting for solutions to properly fund the Clinton train station and other important transportation projects even during these difficult economic times.

“It is shameful that Governor Malloy is targeting the Clinton Train Station  project as a result of his own mismanagement of state transportation funds. Gov. Malloy has been in charge of handling the state’s transportation fund for seven years and his actions have resulted in the shortfall it faces today. Instead of planning for the future, the governor’s administration has adopted policies to spend more than the fund had with no plan to ever pay for it. At the same time he and Democrat lawmakers who controlled the legislature took $164 million from the transportation fund over the last four years alone to use for other purposes. That irresponsible budgeting is why the state’s transportation fund is in trouble today.

“In light of this worsening problem, we will continue to advocate for solutions like the ‘Prioritize Progress’ funding plan Republican lawmakers developed years ago which would have prevented many of the transportation funding problems the state is facing today. Prioritize Progress would have relieved the burden on transportation bonding obligations by prioritizing general obligation bonds and leveraging federal dollars to help support the most needed transportation projects. Unfortunately, this solution has been rejected by the majority year after year because it would limit the governor’s ability to use the state’s credit card for political giveaways. It is disappointing that instead of revisiting solutions we’ve put on the table, the governor chose to make drastic cuts to projects such as the Clinton Train Station as a scare tactic to try to force lawmakers to put even more burdens on taxpayers, drivers and commuters. Please know that we are not giving up and will continue to advocate for solutions like Prioritize Progress which can provide ample funding for projects such as the Clinton train station. Connecticut needs to better manage state dollars to support the core functions of government like transportation, which is key to economic development, job growth and quality of life. We will continue to fight for bonding to support the Clinton train station.”